Italian tennis player Flavio Cobolli staged a remarkable comeback at the US Open on September 1, 2026, overturning a two-set deficit to beat Argentine Francisco Comesana. The epic match marked the first time in his career that Cobolli achieved such a feat at a Grand Slam.
An unprecedented recovery in the Italian’s career
In an intense confrontation, Cobolli triumphed with scores of 3-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 and 6-4, guaranteeing his place in the second round in New York. The clash lasted four hours and 14 minutes, testing the endurance of both athletes.
Cobolli’s Grand Slam record shows ups and downs, with an early exit at the Australian Open earlier in the year. However, he showed great progress at Roland Garros, where he reached his first final of one of the four major tennis tournaments.
Despite the good previous performance, the first 60 minutes at the Louis Armstrong Stadium indicated an unfavorable scenario for the Italian, who seemed on his way to another defeat in the opening round of the tournament.
Decisive moment and the mental turning point in New York
In the face of adversity, the player regrouped strategically. He used a bathroom break and, in his own words, “changed everything” about his approach to the remainder of the match.
After the break, Cobolli displayed a renewed consistency in his game, firing accurate right jabs that helped him level the match. The dispute extended to a fifth set, where he found himself at a 0-2 disadvantage, but managed to stay calm and turn the score around.
The victory was sealed with a decisive volley, culminating in an effusive celebration on the court. “I want to thank everyone who was with me in this incredible turnaround that I achieved today,” said Cobolli in his post-game interview. He added: “It’s never too late, you have to fight until the last point. I have an incredible team that helped me a lot today, and maybe that’s the key for me to be optimistic in the next phase too.”
Before this match, Flavio Cobolli had a record of eight consecutive defeats in Grand Slams whenever he lost the first two sets. This statistic underlines the unprecedented character and resilience demonstrated on the court against Comesana.
Upcoming challenges and Cobolli’s good phase
In the next phase of the US Open, the Italian will face the winner of the clash between Nishesh Basavareddy and Tristan Schoolkate. His best campaign in New York was the third round, a milestone he will look to surpass this year.
Cobolli comes into this Grand Slam in excellent form, coming off a semi-final at the Masters 1000 in Cincinnati the previous month. This recent performance indicates that the tennis player is in a good moment to advance further in the tournament.
Other results of the day at the US Open
In another relevant match played on the third day of the tournament, American Taylor Fritz, 2024 finalist, started his journey with a convincing victory. He beat Darwin Blanch 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.
Playing under the roof of the Rod Laver Arena, the ninth seed demonstrated superiority against his 18-year-old opponent, who entered the competition via invitation.
- He dominated the ball exchanges at the back of the court.
- He impressed with his serve, winning 91% of points with the first serve.
- He had already won the ATP 500 trophy in Washington the previous month.
Fritz is still searching for his first Grand Slam title and has already had success in this year’s North American hard court season. The 28-year-old tennis player is now preparing to face Mattia Bellucci or Zsombor Piros in the next round of the US Open.
