Triumphal day for the two Italian athletes: Flavio beats De Minaur in three sets, Jasmine beats the Philippines Eala
Flavio Cobolli beats Alex De Minaur 7-5 7-6(4) 6-3 and reaches the quarter-finals at Wimbledon equaling last year’s result when he was then beaten by Novak Djokovic. The terrible heat put Cobolli in difficulty who had just returned from very long matches. After winning the first set he went into crisis in the secondwas one step away from 2-5, but from that moment he scored a run of 12 points to 1 and also won the second set in the tie-break. The third was a bit anomalous due to the many breaks on both sides, but at the decisive moment Cobolli put his head forward and closed 6-3. “What luck, I felt tired in the third set and I’m happy to have finished in three sets and save energy. It’s so hot this year and I thank those who stayed here to suffer the heat today. But I’m very proud of myself.” Great respect for Alex: “We have a lot of respect for each other, he’s a great player, I love him but I always prefer not to face him because he’s really strong.” The plan for the day is to rest as much as possible, superstitiously maintain the habits that have led to success and… find a roof: “Tonight we will eat onion and tomato pasta, cooked by my father. Then Spain-Portugal match and off to bed. As long as we find a house because we are homeless… Do you have a house for us?” In the quarterfinals Cobolli will challenge the winner of the match between Dimitrov (who eliminated Berrettini and returned in great shape) and Fery.
Jasmine excited for Federer
And Jasmine Paolini, after having overcome the Philippine Eala (6-4, 4-6, 6-3) not without some difficulty, spoke of her emotion at the presence of Roger Federer in the stands: “Being back to play the quarterfinals at Wimbledon is a great feeling. Entering this court is something special. There is nothing better than playing tennis in this fantastic atmosphere. I felt lucky to be able to play on the Central Court. Thanks to my idol Federer for being hereI told myself to stay focused and not to think that he was here to watch my game. I want to thank the public, this tournament is so special for you too.” Jasmine had started the tournament with a shocking 6-0 defeat by Montgomery, but from that moment on she never stopped: “After that lost set I thought that I was at Wimbledon and I couldn’t play that badly, but I came from a period in which I hadn’t played much and I wasn’t used to grass. Now I’m enjoying the moment.” In the quarterfinals Paolini will face Ukraine Marta Kostjuk, number thirteen in the world.
