French Open 2026: Flavio Cobolli Stuns Felix Auger-Aliassime to Set Up All-Italian Semi-Final
Flavio Cobolli advanced to the French Open semi-finals after recovering from a first-set loss to defeat Felix Auger-Aliassime 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 in Paris. The Italian described himself as “a little bit” superstitious, saying he keeps the same pre- and post-match habits during tournaments, including eating at the same restaurant, ordering the same meal and using the same shower. He said this week his routines have become “a little bit more crazy than the others.”
Cobolli also recalled a past French Open memory involving Rafael Nadal. He said Nadal once knocked on the door while Cobolli was in a shower at Roland Garros, telling him to hurry because he was waiting to use that cubicle. According to Cobolli, Nadal explained that it had been his shower for 14 years, leaving the Italian convinced that the shower was probably the safest part of his routine to keep unchanged.
The victory moved Cobolli into the last four and left him on the brink of a major ranking breakthrough. He will make his top-10 debut on Monday if Jakub Mensik does not win the Paris title. Mensik is set to face Alexander Zverev in the other semi-final, meaning Cobolli’s ranking fate remains dependent on the outcome of the rest of the tournament.
Cobolli’s progress came in a section of the draw that has already produced strong Italian interest. Earlier, Matteo Arnaldi’s win in Wednesday night’s session ensured that an Italian finalist will definitely reach the championship match. That guarantee remains significant after a tournament that had already been shaken by the surprise second-round exit of world number one Jannik Sinner and the withdrawal of Lorenzo Musetti because of injury.
With several leading names eliminated or unavailable, Italy has maintained a strong presence deep into the competition. Cobolli’s run has added to that momentum, and his win over Auger-Aliassime confirmed both his resilience on court and his growing status on the ATP Tour. After dropping the opening set, he responded with three straight set wins to seal one of the biggest victories of his career.
The result also highlighted Cobolli’s composed approach under pressure. Despite admitting to unusual superstitions, he said his main focus is consistency, from his routines to his equipment setup. That routine-driven mindset appears to be working in Paris, where he is now one match away from the final and potentially one step closer to joining the world’s top 10 for the first time.
