Flavio Cobolli has advanced to the French Open final after fellow Italian Matteo Arnaldi withdrew from their semi-final with a viral illness just minutes before the match.
The pair were scheduled to meet on Court Philippe-Chatrier on Friday for a place in their first Grand Slam final, but Arnaldi’s withdrawal was announced only 20 minutes before the start.
As a result, world number 14 Cobolli progresses directly to Sunday’s Roland Garros final, where he will face second seed and tournament favourite Alexander Zverev.
Arnaldi, ranked 104th in the world, had enjoyed a remarkable run to the semi-finals, spending nearly 20 hours on court—the most by any player reaching a Grand Slam semi-final since 1991. The 25-year-old was set to make his maiden appearance in a major last-four match before illness ended his campaign.
