Stefano Cobolli knows when to let his son look after himself and when to step in. In April 2021, frustrated by Flavio’s lack of effort at a tournament in Antalya, Turkey, he left the then-17-year-old to compete without him. Flavio went on to win the following week’s tournament, a turning point his father later recalled. Five years later, the Italian has firmly put himself in contention, having a breakthrough season. So when he was met with a vile message, despite giving his best against Adrian Mannarino in his first match at the Shanghai Masters, his father wasn’t going to sit silently.
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“Forget the Finals,” said one online comment, which was shared by Flavio Cobolli’s father, Stefano Cobolli, on Instagram. “Your son should get cancer and die.”
The comment was enough for any coach to take a stand for his player, especially when the coach in question was also the player’s father. He hence defended his son passionately, calling out the abuser. He also made a plea for more responsible behavior on social media while highlighting the rigors of a professional athlete’s life.
“I usually try to delete these comments without giving them attention — and there are so many of them,” said Stefano Cobolli on Instagram. “But something has to be done.”
“We are strong, we are athletes, and we overcome obstacles much greater than an Instagram comment. But there are many people who could suffer because of this, and that isn’t right.”
That said, with tennis a sport many heavily bet on, frustrated bettors often turn their attention to players when results lead to a significant financial loss. Last month, Estonian player Mark Lajal reported receiving death threats, including threats against his family, after losing a semifinal at an ATP Challenger event in Manacor, Spain.
Back in 2024, Rinky Hijikata had a similar experience after the Australian lost a Challenger match in Acapulco, after which a host of abusive messages flooded the player’s social media accounts. WTA players have also faced serious abuse. Lucrezia Stefanini, for example, in May, said she and her family were threatened before an Indian Wells qualifying match, with the sender sharing a photograph of a gun and details about her relatives.
While the WTA, ITF, AELTC and USTA collaborate through Threat Matrix to address online abuse, the ATP operates a separate initiative called Safe Sport. Launched in July 2024, the ATP’s AI-powered service was made available, on an opt-in basis, to the top 250 singles players and top 50 doubles players. In its first year, it scanned more than 3.1 million social-media comments and flagged over 162,000 as severe. It also automatically hides abusive content as it is detected.
The suggestion made by Cobolli’s father, though, about staying away from social media might be easier said than done, given the current role of social media in brand deals and player endorsements. The Italian, however, might be open to adopting the idea, something he has already done once this year.
Having made a difficult start to the season with a four-match losing streak, Cobolli identified the overuse of Instagram and TikTok as one of the main reasons for the lack of mental clarity. The Italian took the step of moving away from the virtual world for a couple of weeks, a move he stated was essential for his mental health.
“Sometimes you have to do it, because being on your phone all the time isn’t good for your health,” said Cobolli in a press conference. “So I set aside Instagram and TikTok for two weeks. No doubt I’ll return to them.”
The move proved its worth as the Italian began to win, reaching the semifinals in Delray Beach and then clinching the title in Acapulco. Cobolli’s strongest stretch of the season came during the clay court phase, where the Italian reached the final in Munich, the quarterfinal in Madrid, and capped it all off with a runner-up finish at the French Open.
Having ended his Asian swing with an opening-round defeat in Shanghai, Cobolli will look to get a strong end to the season on the indoor hard courts. The Italian is well placed at No. 5 in the race rankings, and one final push will help him qualify for the ATP Finals, where the fans will be hopeful for a home favorite after Jannik Sinner’s withdrawal.