Cobolli reaches French Open final as Arnaldi withdraws due to virus

Italy's Flavio Cobolli has advanced to his first Grand Slam final at the French Open, a bittersweet achievement following the last-minute withdrawal of his compatriot and semi-final opponent, Matteo Arnaldi. Arnaldi, the 10th seed, was forced to pull out of the match due to illness, just over 20 minutes before they were scheduled to compete.

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When he came to me almost one hour ago, I almost cried. You know, it’s something that you don’t expect at all. I was ready to play this match.

Cobolli, 24, expressed a mix of emotions, stating he was "sad and happy at the same time." He acknowledged the disappointment for his friend Arnaldi but also his own elation at reaching this career milestone. "When he came to me almost one hour ago, I almost cried. You know, it’s something that you don’t expect at all. I was ready to play this match," Cobolli told reporters at a joint news conference with Arnaldi.

Arnaldi, 25, described his withdrawal as "not something that you wish to anybody" but the "right decision for me to take." He had felt well during practice on Thursday but began experiencing stomach issues after dinner. Waking up at 1:00 a.m. with vomiting, he couldn't sleep and continued to feel unwell throughout the day. Despite attempts to prepare for the match, he experienced dizziness and was unable to eat or drink.

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You know, it’s something that you don’t expect at all. I was ready to play this match.

"It’s a virus, I think, because I was feeling pretty cold. I think I had a fever, like, during the day. I don’t know, to be honest," Arnaldi explained, adding, "I just know that I can’t move, and I can’t eat, and I can’t drink. So, there was really no..." His statement was cut short, but the implication was clear: he was too unwell to compete.

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I was completely sad for him. But, at the same time, of course, I’m really happy for the result that I reached this week. Yeah, now I’m sad and happy at the same time.

Cobolli will now face Germany's second seed, Alexander Zverev, in Sunday's final. Zverev secured his spot by defeating Jakub Mensik in the other semi-final. The upcoming final is guaranteed to crown a new major champion, as neither Cobolli nor Zverev has previously won a Grand Slam title.

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It’s tough, because for how the tournament was, for how many hours I’ve been on the court, I was feeling actually very good.