French Open 2025: Arnaldi withdraws ill, Cobolli reaches first Grand Slam final
Synopsis
The first all-Italian Grand Slam semifinal ended before a ball was struck — Arnaldi's overnight illness forced a withdrawal that handed Cobolli a place in his first major final. Now the 24-year-old faces Zverev, who leads their head-to-head 3-1 and beat him 6-2, 7-6, 6-1 at Roland Garros just last year. Sunday's final is a genuine mismatch on paper — but Cobolli has already proved the draw wrong once.
Key Takeaways
Flavio Cobolli advances to his first Grand Slam final after Matteo Arnaldi withdraws with a viral illness from their French Open 2025 semifinal.
Arnaldi revealed he vomited overnight and again at 6-7 a.m. on Friday, and was unable to eat or drink throughout the day.
Cobolli will face second-seeded Alexander Zverev in Sunday's final on Court Philippe-Chatrier .
Zverev leads the head-to-head 3-1 , including a 6-2, 7-6(4), 6-1 win over Cobolli at Roland Garros 2024.
The last semifinal withdrawal at a major was Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon 2022 .
Cobolli's previous best Grand Slam result was a quarterfinal run at Wimbledon 2024 .
Flavio Cobolli has advanced to his first Grand Slam final at the French Open 2025 after compatriot Matteo Arnaldi was forced to withdraw from their Roland Garros semifinal due to a viral illness on Friday, 6 June in Paris. Cobolli will face second-seeded Alexander Zverev in Sunday's final — a historic outcome that marks the first time an Italian man has reached the Roland Garros final in the Open Era.
Arnaldi's Illness: What Happened
Arnaldi had been battling a viral illness since the early hours of Friday, informing tournament organisers that he was neither fit nor strong enough to take to Court Philippe-Chatrier for the second semifinal. The No. 34 in the ATP Live Rankings revealed he vomited overnight between Thursday and Friday, rendering him unable to compete.
'It's difficult to be here. It's not what I wanted to do, but last night I started to feel not very well,' Arnaldi said at a joint press conference alongside Cobolli. 'Yesterday I was feeling okay. I came here to practise. I did everything I had to do, and I was feeling fine.'
He added: 'Then I had dinner. I started to feel so-so with my stomach. I was, like, Alright, just didn't digest very well. But then I woke up at 1 a.m., and I started vomiting, and I wasn't feeling the best.' Arnaldi said he attempted to sleep but 'couldn't sleep at all', and vomited again at around 6 or 7 a.m. A doctor was called to his room and administered medication, but the Italian could not eat or drink throughout the day without returning to the bathroom.
This is the first withdrawal at the semifinal stage of a major since Rafael Nadal pulled out before facing Nick Kyrgios at Wimbledon 2022.
How Cobolli Reached the Semis
Cobolli had earned his place in the last four with a commanding 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 victory over fourth-seeded Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime — who had been aiming to reach a major semifinal for the third time — in an explosive match played under the roof on Court Philippe-Chatrier. The 24-year-old Italian's power and consistency proved too much for the Canadian across four sets.
Cobolli vs Zverev: The Final Matchup
Sunday's final pits first-time Grand Slam finalist Cobolli against the vastly more experienced Zverev, who will be contesting his fourth major final. Their ATP head-to-head stands at 3-1 in Zverev's favour, including a Roland Garros 2024 third-round encounter that the German won 6-2, 7-6(4), 6-1.
Cobolli's previous best Grand Slam run came at Wimbledon 2024, where he reached the quarterfinals. Zverev, ranked second in the world, arrives as the clear favourite on clay, though Cobolli's run to the final — including that four-set win over Auger-Aliassime — signals he is not merely making up the numbers.
What to Watch on Sunday
The key question is whether Cobolli can close the gap on Zverev's clay-court dominance, having lost their only Roland Garros meeting in straight sets last year. Zverev has been in imperious form throughout the fortnight, and a fourth major final appearance underlines his status as the tournament's most consistent threat. All eyes will be on Court Philippe-Chatrier on Sunday for what promises to be a compelling David-versus-Goliath conclusion to the men's draw.
Point of View
Where support infrastructure and scheduling buffers are thinner. Cobolli now faces a Zverev who has looked close to unplayable on clay this fortnight, and a 3-1 head-to-head deficit that includes a bagel-set drubbing at this very tournament last year. The Italian's path to an upset runs through his ability to stay in rallies long enough to neutralise Zverev's serve — something Auger-Aliassime, a far more experienced opponent, could not do across four sets.
NationPress
11 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Matteo Arnaldi withdraw from the French Open 2025 semifinal?
Arnaldi withdrew due to a viral illness that struck overnight between Thursday and Friday. He vomited multiple times, could not eat or drink, and was deemed unfit to compete by the time of the match.
Who will Flavio Cobolli face in the French Open 2025 final?
Cobolli will face second-seeded Alexander Zverev in Sunday's final on Court Philippe-Chatrier. It will be Cobolli's first Grand Slam final and Zverev's fourth.
What is the head-to-head record between Cobolli and Zverev?
Zverev leads the ATP head-to-head series 3-1. Their most recent meeting was at Roland Garros 2024, where Zverev won 6-2, 7-6(4), 6-1 in the third round.
When was the last time a player withdrew at the semifinal stage of a Grand Slam?
The last such withdrawal was Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon 2022, when he pulled out before his semifinal against Nick Kyrgios. Arnaldi's withdrawal is the first at this stage of a major since then.
What was Cobolli's best Grand Slam result before the 2025 French Open final?
Cobolli's previous best Grand Slam run was a quarterfinal appearance at Wimbledon 2024. His run to the Roland Garros 2025 final is a significant step up in his major results.
