By Sabrina Giorgi
After kicking off the second day of the Laver Cup against Learner Tien – a hard-fought match that ended in a super tie-break in favour of Team World (3-6 6-2 7-10) – Flavio Cobolli spoke exclusively to Ubitennis.
Q. In your recent tournaments, you’ve faced Zverev frequently, even coming close to winning your first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros. What’s your relationship like now that you’re competing on the same team?
FLAVIO COBOLLI: “He’s a brilliant lad; I’ve managed to build a very special relationship with Sascha. We talk a lot, we keep in touch, we joke around, we play games and we also do things outside the court like games, escape rooms, golf… we know how to have fun, you see. I appreciate him and I’m fond of him.”
Q. So have you put that defeat – that Roland Garros final – behind you?
FLAVIO COBOLLI: “No, I don’t think I ever will, but you know… I think I’m very good at accepting defeat, even though that’s one that will stay with me forever. But I believe and hope I’ll get another chance to play a match like that. Obviously, we’ll work towards that. But I enjoyed it and I’m happy with the result I achieved.”
Q. And what about Carlos Alcaraz? I know you’re very good friends…
FLAVIO COBOLLI: “With Alcaraz, compared to the rest of the team, there’s a closer bond. But I’ve built relationships with all the players, in different ways, of course.”
Q. You’ve played very well this year, even compared to previous seasons. How has your approach to managing pressure and emotions changed? And what technical changes have you made to your game?
FLAVIO COBOLLI: “Mentally, I’m still the same… a disaster (laughs). So I’ve worked a lot on the technical side, off the court and in the gym; now, obviously, I’ll have to work on the mental side as well, but I haven’t done that yet. I’ve got a team behind me who look after me, are right there with me, and support me. So I’m happy with the people I’ve got and I’m happy with how we work outside of tournaments.”
Editor’s note: This article was first published on Ubitennis.com and has been translated into English.
