Cobolli defeats Auger-Aliassime to set up all-Italian French Open semifinal bout

Flavio Cobolli produced one of the biggest wins of his career at the French Open, rallying from a set down to defeat Felix Auger-Aliassime 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 and reach the semi-finals in Paris on Wednesday, June 3, 2026. The Italian 10th seed booked his first appearance in a Grand Slam last four and, with the victory, also secured a place inside the ATP top 10 for the first time.

Cobolli’s win guarantees an Italian man will compete in the Roland Garros final on Sunday, continuing the country’s remarkable rise in men’s tennis. The outcome became possible after top seed Jannik Sinner, who had arrived in Paris in strong clay-court form, suffered a shock second-round exit that opened up the top half of the draw. Matteo Berrettini and Matteo Arnaldi also advanced deep into the same section, underlining Italy’s strength at the tournament. Arnaldi later progressed after Berrettini retired, setting up a historic all-Italian semi-final against Cobolli.

The upcoming match between Cobolli and Arnaldi will be the first all-Italian men’s semi-final in Grand Slam history. Cobolli described the achievement as something Italian tennis should celebrate, saying the country has another player in the final week alongside Sinner and Lorenzo Musetti. He added that he would not watch the later quarter-final involving Berrettini and Arnaldi, preferring to stick to his usual pre-match routine and avoid changing anything that might affect his form. “I will do my same routine as every day,” he said, explaining that he would have dinner with friends, go to bed and sleep.

The quarter-final itself was tightly contested through the first three sets, with both players battling closely before Cobolli seized control in the fourth. He earned the decisive break of serve in the fifth game of the set and then finished the match confidently, holding serve to love for the victory. The final point came with a sharp cross-court forehand winner, sealing a landmark triumph in front of the Paris crowd.

Cobolli said he viewed the match as a major chance in his career and believed he had to give everything on court. He credited his intensity and focus for helping him through the pressure of the moment. The result confirmed Italy’s growing presence at the top of the men’s game, with the nation having won the last three Davis Cups and now placing multiple players in the final stages of one of tennis’s biggest tournaments.

For Auger-Aliassime, the defeat was a painful missed opportunity. The Canadian fourth seed said he felt “destroyed” after losing out on a chance to reach only his third Grand Slam semi-final and his first at Roland Garros. With Alexander Zverev the other remaining player in the opposite half of the draw, Auger-Aliassime had been the highest-ranked competitor left in the field. He said the loss was especially hard because he had hoped to build on his previous major results, but instead left Paris frustrated and uncertain about his current level.