Cobolli sinks Auger-Aliassime to book 'derby' French Open semi

Flavio Cobolli came back from a set down to beat Felix Auger-Aliassime 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 in the French Open quarterfinals on Wednesday.

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By eliminating the Canadian fourth seed, Cobolli has ensured that there will be an Italian man in the final come Sunday.

At the start of the tournament, that eventuality seemed almost a given with top seed Jannik Sinner on a scintillating clay-court run.

However, the world No 1 stunningly lost in the second round and blew the top half of the draw wide open.

His compatriots have stepped into the chasm left by Sinner's exit, and Cobolli will be joined in Friday's last-four match-up by fellow first-time Grand Slam semifinalist Matteo Arnaldi, who progressed past the injured Matteo Berrettini in the night session.

It will be the first all-Italian Grand Slam men's semifinal in history.

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"For sure it will be another derby, but I think we have to be happy for Italian tennis," Cobolli told reporters.

"Another Italian, apart from Sinner and Lorenzo (Musetti), are in the final this week. So we have to be happy, and we have to enjoy that match."

Italy has been the dominant force in the men's game in recent years, with the country winning the last three Davis Cups

After an evenly-contested quarterfinal across the first three frames, Cobolli earned the crucial break of serve in the fifth game of the fourth set.

He then served out to 15, booking his first Grand Slam last-four appearance with a stinging cross-court forehand winner.

By reaching the semifinals, Cobolli will enter the ATP top 10 for the first time in his career.

"I felt like this is the chance of my life," Cobolli said. "I have to give everything in my matches and today I did that so I'm really happy."

Auger-Aliassime admitted he felt "destroyed" after missing out on the chance to move to a third Grand Slam semi-final, and first in Paris.

After Alexander Zverev in the other half of the draw, Auger-Aliassime was the highest-ranked player left in the tournament.

"I'm in a place right now with my tennis career that it's tough. You know, I'm a little bit, like, I'm destroyed today a little bit," the 25-year-old said.

Auger-Aliassime added he was "growing more and more impatient" at his lack of success in the biggest tournaments.

"It's tough. I usually handle losses pretty well, I have to say. Like, my whole career, I was going back to training with optimism and positivity," he said.

"Now I feel like I'm not the player I want to be, so today is a difficult day."

ARNALDI INTO SEMIS AS BERRETTINI RETIRES INJURED

Matteo Berrettini's run at Roland Garros came to a sad end as he was forced to retire injured against Arnaldi.

Former Wimbledon finalist Berrettini, who has struggled with various injuries in recent years, called it quits in the second set when trailing 7-5, 5-2 on Court Philippe Chatrier.

"You never want someone to end the tournament like this," said the 25-year-old Arnaldi.

"I'm sorry for him and I hope he's going recover and soon it's going to come the grass and he's going to be very tough to play."

Arnaldi has spent the largest time on court for a player en route to a Grand Slam semi-final, so will likely be grateful for the extra rest ahead of facing 10th seed Cobolli on Friday.

The world number 104, who himself was sidelined with injury earlier this season, had played back-to-back five-setters in the third and fourth rounds, totalling over 10 hours.

"Unbelievable, I still can't believe it if I think where I was one month ago, I was nearly 150 in the world," he added.

"I'm tired, that's for sure, but you know I train and I play tennis to play these kind of tournaments, these kind of matches.

"Obviously today I was a bit more tired than usual... but I'm here."

Berrettini, ranked 105th, had enjoyed a brilliant tournament in his first appearance at Roland Garros since 2021.

But he had also played some demanding matches, including the longest of his career in the last 32 against Francisco Comesana, and his efforts finally took their toll in the last night session of the event.

Berrettini got off to a dream start by racing 3-0 up with two breaks of serve, but Arnaldi eventually ground him down in a marathon, 82-minute opening set.

Arnaldi continued his momentum into the second, quickly moving 2-0 ahead only to gift his break straight back.

However, there was a painful moment for the injury-plagued Berrettini, as he started grimacing and called for a medical time-out.

Berrettini was broken again as Arnaldi moved 4-2 in front, and after failing to chase down another winner from his opponent and then stopping to stretch, his coaching staff started waving at him to stop.

He reluctantly shook hands during the next changeover, putting Arnaldi into the last four of a men's draw thrown wide open last week by the second-round exit of their compatriot Jannik Sinner.