No Sinner? No Problem! Italians Shine Bright In Paris To Script Roland Garros History

Last Updated:June 02, 2026, 13:30 IST

Italy made Grand Slam history at Roland Garros as Flavio Cobolli, Matteo Berrettini and Matteo Arnaldi reached the quarter-finals, guaranteeing a semifinalist.

Even without top-ranked stars Jannik Sinner and Lorenzo Musetti in the second week, Italy continues to dominate the conversation at Roland Garros.

On a remarkable Monday in Paris, Flavio Cobolli, Matteo Berrettini and Matteo Arnaldi all secured victories to become the first Italian men’s trio in the Open Era to reach the quarter-finals of the same Grand Slam tournament.

It was a landmark moment for Italian tennis and further proof of the country’s extraordinary depth beyond its biggest names.

Cobolli Survives A Nerve-Shredder

Cobolli got the Italian charge rolling, but not before giving himself and his supporters a serious scare.

The 24-year-old appeared in complete control against American Zach Svajda when he surged into a 5-1 lead in the fourth set. What looked like a routine finish quickly turned into a tense battle as Svajda clawed his way back.

Cobolli eventually steadied himself and sealed victory in a tiebreak. Afterwards, he admitted the pressure had reached uncomfortable levels, joking that he was close to needing a fresh pair of shorts if the drama had continued much longer.

Berrettini’s Comeback Story Rolls On

Few players in the draw have endured as much as Matteo Berrettini over the last few years.

The former Wimbledon finalist has battled a relentless series of injuries, making his return to the Grand Slam spotlight all the more satisfying. The 30-year-old defeated Argentina’s Juan Manuel Cerundolo 6-3, 7-6(2), 7-6(6) to reach his first major quarter-final since the 2022 US Open.

A crucial turning point came in the third-set tiebreak when Berrettini fought back from a 6-3 deficit to complete the straight-sets victory.

Arnaldi’s Marathon Continues

If Berrettini’s story is one of perseverance, Arnaldi’s is all about endurance.

The world No. 104 produced another astonishing escape, recovering from a 4-1 double-break deficit in the fourth set against Frances Tiafoe before prevailing 6-4 in the fifth after more than five hours on court.

The win earned Arnaldi his first Grand Slam quarter-final and his second consecutive five-set triumph in Paris.

His tournament workload has become almost unbelievable. Arnaldi has now spent 17 hours and 42 minutes on court — nearly two hours longer than any other men’s quarter-finalist at a Grand Slam since ATP match-time records began in 1991.

An All-Italian Showdown Awaits

Italy is now guaranteed a semi-finalist, with Berrettini and Arnaldi set to face each other in the last eight.

Meanwhile, Cobolli’s reward is a clash with fourth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime, who produced his most convincing performance of the tournament in a straight-sets victory over Chile’s Alejandro Tabilo.

About the Author

Siddarth Sriram

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His...Read More

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