Flavio Cobolli was on the verge of defeat Tuesday in Sydney. But the Italian saved a match point and produced a memorable comeback to book his country’s place in the quarter-finals of the United Cup.
His opponent, Ugo Humbert, won his first 17 service points in the second set and served for the match at 6-3, 5-4 15/0. But the Frenchman was unable to convert match point at 8/7 in the ensuing tie-break and that proved costly.
“I think that we did a great match. It was a great battle to start the season, so I’m really happy about the match,” Cobolli said. “I think I played a really good match and also it was tough to come back [against] Ugo. Congrats also for him and I wish him good luck for his season.”
Italy went on to sweep the tie 3-0 behind wins from Jasmine Paolini and mixed doubles pair Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori. The country has now won Group D and will move into the knockout stages of the mixed-teams event. France needed to defeat Italy 3-0 to win the group.
Humbert was in complete control of the match when he served for it in the second set. Until that game, he had not faced break point. The recent Rolex Paris Masters finalist was just centimetres away from giving his country the lead at 8/7 in the second-set tie-break. The lefty crushed a forehand up the line on the run and missed just wide.
Cobolli was able to then force a deciding set and surged ahead from there. He won 48 per cent of his return points in the third set according to Infosys ATP Stats and broke serve twice to triumph in the pair’s first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting after two hours and six minutes.
“I think it’s my game to stay focussed all the match and do a great battle,” Cobolli said. “Thanks also for my team supporting me all the points and maybe it’s also for this I won this match.”
Photo: Peter Staples/ATP Tour
With Italy already safely through to the quarter-finals, World No. 4 Paolini had no pressure on her shoulders as she followed in women’s singles. The 2024 Roland Garros and Wimbledon finalist was calm and collected as she posted a 6-0, 6-2 win over Chloe Paquet to officially seal Tuesday’s tie for the Italians.
"I'm happy with my performance. I was focused every time. I think [everything worked] pretty well," Paolini said. "I'm happy, as well, that Flavio won an amazing match. Unbelievable. He was a set and break down. He turned the match. Unbelievable."
In fact, 123rd-ranked Paquet had beaten Paolini in their only previous meeting, at an event in Florida in 2019. But after her stellar 2024 campaign, Paolini came into today’s match as an overwhelming favourite, and she lived up to that billing, triumphing in just 60 minutes.
Paolini racked up the first seven games of the match before Paquet was able to get on the scoreboard, firing an ace to hold for 1-1 in the second set.
But Paolini refused to let Paquet in, taking charge with a bevy of winning volleys to romp to victory. Paolini erased the lone break point she faced, while successfully converting all five of the break points she held.
Paolini will bring exceptional form into the quarter-finals, having dropped only four games in her two group-stage matches. She defeated former Top 5 player Belinda Bencic 6-1, 6-1 in her first match of the tournament.
In the mixed doubles, Errani and Vavassori defeated Elixane Lechemia and Edouard Roger-Vasselin 6-3, 7-6(3).
