Flavio Cobolli defeated Félix Auger-Aliassime on June 3, 2026, to reach his first career Grand Slam semi-final at the French Open [1, 3].
The victory marks a significant breakthrough for the Italian player, who overcame a higher-seeded opponent to enter the final stages of a major tournament.
Cobolli, the 10th seed [1], secured the win on Court Philippe-Chatrier in Paris [3]. He defeated the fourth seed Auger-Aliassime with a final score of 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 [1].
The match was a closely contested battle where Cobolli had to fight back from an early deficit. He recovered after losing the first set and falling behind 3-1 in the match to secure the upset [1, 2].
Following the match, Cobolli reflected on the emotional weight of the victory. "I’m sad and happy at the same time," Cobolli said [4].
The result removes one of the tournament favorites from the competition. Auger-Aliassime entered the quarter-final as a top seed but was unable to maintain his lead against the Italian's comeback effort [1, 2].
There are conflicting reports regarding Cobolli's next step in the tournament. Some sources indicate he will face fellow Italian Matteo Arnaldi in the semi-final, while other reports suggest Arnaldi withdrew due to illness, which would allow Cobolli to advance directly to the final [5, 6].
“Flavio Cobolli defeated Félix Auger-Aliassime on June 3, 2026, to reach his first career Grand Slam semi-final.”
Cobolli's ascent into the semi-finals signals a shift in the men's draw, as a double-digit seed eliminates a top-five seed. The potential for an all-Italian semi-final or a direct path to the final further highlights the current strength of Italian tennis on clay courts.
