Italian Matteo Arnaldi withdrew from his French Open semifinal against fellow countryman Flavio Cobolli on Friday morning, shortly before their match was scheduled to begin on Philippe-Chatrier. Arnaldi contracted a virus Thursday night and remained unwell on Friday, forcing the retirement. The withdrawal automatically advanced Cobolli to his first career Grand Slam final.
Why Arnaldi's withdrawal matters
The 25-year-old's exit marks a significant setback in his breakthrough performance at Roland-Garros. Arnaldi had reached his first major semifinal by defeating Matteo Berrettini in the quarterfinals, with Berrettini retiring due to a hip injury in the second set. According to Yahoo, the last player forced to withdraw this late in a major was Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon in 2022, when an injury sent Nick Kyrgios to the final.
What happens next
Cobolli will face Germany's Alexander Zverev in the men's final. Arnaldi and Cobolli held a joint press conference Friday after the withdrawal was announced. Arnaldi told reporters that despite the difficult circumstances, he had felt strong during the tournament before the illness struck. "To have to withdraw from the first Slam semifinal," Arnaldi said, "is tough."
Sources
- Yahoo: French Open semifinalist Matteo Arnaldi forced to withdraw right before match. Published 2026-06-11.
- Ground News: Cobolli Through to French Open Final After Arnaldi Withdraws Due to Illness. Published 2026-06-11.
Reported from public sources.