After the second seed Alexander Zverev secured his place in the final, anticipation soared around Roland Garros for an all-Italian derby between Flavio Cobolli and Matteo Arnaldi. Instead, heartbreak stole the spotlight as Arnaldi withdrew due to illness, sending Cobolli into the French Open championship match by walkover and leaving fans stunned. Yet even with no match to watch and ticket price refunded, Cobolli lifted the mood by turning an unfortunate afternoon into a memorable show for the remaining crowd.

Rather than letting the day end in disappointment, the 24-year-old Italian ace decided to make the most of an unfortunate situation. With no semifinal to play, the Italian chose to hold a training session on the iconic Court Philippe-Chatrier.

His decision gave fans something to enjoy despite the late withdrawal of world No. 104 Matteo Arnaldi. Many spectators stayed in their seats to watch Cobolli practice.

One of the most touching moments came even before the training session began at the court. Two young children had been selected to accompany the players onto the court as part of the pre-match ceremony.

With fellow Italian ace unable to participate, it appeared that their special moment would be lost. However, the world No. 11 stepped in and invited both children to walk onto the court alongside him.

The crowd responded warmly to the gesture. It was a small act, but one that made a big difference for the young fans involved in the moment.

Afterward, Cobolli went through several warm-up drills on the court. He then invited a fan named Edouard to rally with him while the spectators cheered from the stands.

The pair exchanged some shots for several minutes and kept the crowd entertained. Cobolli continued to engage with the fans throughout the session, even hitting a few playful shots toward the crowd, drawing warm applause and turning a disappointing afternoon into a memorable one on a Friday evening.

And while Cobolli has reached the final, an even tougher challenge now awaits him, with Sascha arriving in top form after a commanding run to the French Open championship match.

Alexander Zverev opens up on his emotions before facing close friend Flavio Cobolli

Alexander Zverev enters the French Open final with more Grand Slam final experience than his Italian opponent Flavio Cobolli. However, that experience also comes with painful memories that still follow him.

At the US Open six years ago, Zverev held a two-set lead before the occasion slipped away from him. He was unable to finish the job and suffered one of the toughest defeats of his professional career.

A similar story unfolded in the 2024 Roland Garros final. After leading by two sets to one, the German managed to win only three more games as the title slipped from his grasp.

Because of those experiences, some believe another collapse could be possible in the final. The pressure is especially high when facing an opponent he is expected to beat, particularly if he gets close to the finish line.

Still, many signs suggest this version of Zverev is different. Since Jannik Sinner’s early exit from the French Open, the German has carried the pressure of being the favorite for his first major title and has looked remarkably comfortable doing it until the semis.

And speaking before the final, Zverev was asked by Ubaldo Scanagatta what to expect when facing a close friend. Considering he had landed 75% of his first serves in the semifinal against Jakub Mensik, the German responded with a smile.

“On Sunday, I will try to serve better than today, at 76%,” while laughing.

He then turned serious and spoke warmly about his opponent. “I am looking forward to playing against him in the final. Of course, it is his first final, so I am happy for him to have made it there. The only thing I can control is to play good tennis, I will try to show my level and try to do things right, that’s all that matters to me,” the second seed added.

The two players have already shared some memorable battles this season. Cobolli defeated Zverev in the BMW Open before the German responded with a victory in Madrid Masters just 12 days later, giving him a 3-1 advantage in their H2H battle. 

Yet Grand Slam finals have a way of rewriting every script, and with everything on the line, both men now stand one win away from tennis history.