Back at the BMW Open in April, Flavio Cobolli‘s runner-up speech stole almost as many headlines as the tennis itself after his playful jab at his beloved girlfriend Matilde Galli. Having fallen to American Ben Shelton in the final, the Italian joked, “Also, I called yesterday my girlfriend and said, ‘Please don’t let me lose’. But she does! So maybe next final, you stay home.” Now, having reached a Grand Slam final, which is just hours away, Cobolli has finally revealed whether his girlfriend will once again be cheering from the courtside of Court Philippe-Chatrier.

Recently, Tennis TV reposted the clip from the ATP 500 event in April on its IG page, where Cobolli had jokingly blamed Galli for his loss in the final. While sharing the clip, Tennis TV added the caption, “Has she got a ticket for tomorrow, Flavio? 🤣”. 

Cobolli did not leave the question unanswered. The 10th seed replied with a short but intriguing response. “Maybe,” he commented. Galli herself also joined the conversation. Responding beneath Cobolli’s comment, she added some emoji, “😒😒😒🙃”.

The little exchange highlighted the light-hearted bond the couple has built over the years. Their relationship dates back to a time long before the Italian became one of the rising stars on the ATP Tour.

The Roma native first met Galli when he was just 18 years old. At the time, Galli was attending an event with his best friend’s sister, and the meeting proved to be a life-changing moment for both of them.

Since then, Galli has become one of his biggest supporters of the 24-year-old. Cobolli has often explained that she rarely misses one of his matches, even if it means staying awake during the middle of the night to watch him compete.

Interestingly, tennis as a game is not a major topic of discussion between them. Rather than analyzing matches or discussing tactics on the court, they focus on supporting each other in their respective pursuits.

While the Italian continues to build his career on the ATP Tour, Galli is pursuing her studies with the goal of becoming a sanitary director for a hospital in Italy. 

Unlike some of the ATP couples who travel together throughout the season, Galli frequently stays home to focus on her education. Because of that, maintaining regular communication has become especially important for the couple.

“I think we found the rhythm,” Cobolli said back in April. “But of course, I want to see her more than I see her now and to see her more at the tournaments with me. But I think the first goal for her is to finish studying and then we’ll see after college if she can come more than she does now.”

Even when Galli is not physically present at tournaments, she continues to support him from afar. She is not particularly active on social media like the current generation, especially when it comes to making her own posts, but she consistently engages with Cobolli’s content.

One recent example came three days ago, when she liked Cobolli’s IG post captioned, “Première demi-finale. Même faim 🇫🇷🙉🎾 Merci à tous 😉”. The message translates to, “First semifinal. Same hunger. 🇫🇷🙉🎾 Thank you all 😉”, reflecting his excitement and determination ahead of a major clash against a fellow Italian, Matteo Arnaldi, which never happened since the latter withdrew from the semis. 

Now, as Cobolli prepares for another huge moment with a subtle hint that Galli could be courtside, one thing remains clear: his girlfriend has been a constant source of encouragement and strength throughout his journey.

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For the Italian, support is a two-way street. Just as Matilde Galli has stood by him throughout his tennis journey, the 24-year-old also tries to be there for her whenever she needs him.

“When she’s nervous [studying for an exam], I try to be kind to her and help make her life easier. But it’s not easy when you’re always on the Tour, and you have pressure everywhere and have another pressure at home. It’s not easy,” Cobolli said in a conversation with ATP in April.

And to be honest, balancing a demanding tennis career with a long-term relationship is not always simple. Even so, Cobolli believes they have found a healthy balance together. “But I think we are doing well. We have a great relationship.”

Although Galli spends much of her time focused on her education, that does not mean she never joins Cobolli on the road on his tour. In fact, one particular trip proved especially important this season.

Cobolli endured a difficult start to the current season, losing 4 of his first 5 matches. Looking for a boost, he asked Galli to spend some time with him during the ATP Tour.

The impact was almost immediate after the break. Shortly afterward, Cobolli reached the semis in Delray Beach and then captured the ATP 500 title in Acapulco, beating Frances Tiafoe in straight sets.

Those results eventually helped him move past his early-season struggles and rediscover some of the best tennis of his career. For many, it was impossible to ignore the timing.

And Cobolli himself has never hidden how much Galli means to him. Speaking about their relationship, he offered a heartfelt glimpse into their future together.

“I love her a lot, and I think she also loves me,” Cobolli said with a smile. “We are very young, but we already have a great experience with ourselves and our lives to say that she’s the one that I want to have for all my life.”

Now, as the French Open final approaches, it remains to be seen whether Galli will be courtside once again and perhaps serve as Cobolli’s lucky charm as he chases the first Grand Slam title of his career in Paris.