Flavio Cobolli has been in fine form as of late.
Last week, the Italian star defeated Zizou Bergs and Alexander Zverev on his way to the Munich Open final, before losing to Ben Shelton in straight sets.
This 23-year-old continued his excellent form on Saturday, beating Camilo Ugo Carabelli 6-7, 6-1, 6-4 in the Madrid Open second round.
The match was far from a comfortable affair for the Italian, who won only 51 per cent of his first-serve points during the match.
Cobolli’s frustrations boiled over midway through Saturday’s contest when he issued a pertinent complaint to the Madrid Open officials.
Flavio Cobolli’s Madrid Open complaint
“We need to do something about this court,” Cobolli told a tournament official at the change of ends. “It’s impossible to play.
“It’s not clay, it’s not clay.
“It’s really slippy. It’s like to play in a ice hockey tennis court.”
Speaking to the Tennis Channel after securing victory, Cobolli discussed the ‘problem’ he had during the match.
“I had some problem with the moving today, with the sliding. There is no clay on the outside court.
“It’s a little bit different, and I needed to find a way to move and to play my best tennis, and I think at the end I did it. But I’m not really happy about the performance… I mean, my tennis is not 100 per cent now, but tomorrow I practice to reach 100 per cent in the next round.”
Speaking about possible improvements ahead of his next match, Cobolli added: “I think I did very good things today, but I have to try to move a bit [better] because it’s very tough.
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“Like I said before, there is no clay. So it’s more difficult than Munich, than Monte Carlo. So I think I’m going to be more moving not so much, but a little bit to find a way.
“And I think I have to work a little bit on my forehand because I miss a little bit today and I don’t want.”
Flavio Cobolli’s next opponent in Madrid
Cobolli will play Paraguayan prodigy Adolfo Daniel Vallejo in the Madrid Open third round.
Vallejo, ranked 96th on the ATP Tour, had a 107–38 record on the junior singles circuit and is a former US Open Boys Doubles finalist.
The 21-year-old defeated Pedro Martinez and Henrique Rocha to qualify for the main draw in Madrid.
Since then, Vallejo has defeated Grigor Dimitrov and 17th seed Learner Tien on his way to the third round.
Vallejo is already projected to rise 13 places to world number 83, and he would likely rise even further with victory over Cobolli.
“I have to be ready for the next round, I know it’s very tough – he’s a good player,” Cobolli said of Vallejo on the Tennis Channel.
Flavio Cobolli’s projected path to the Madrid Open title
- Third round: Adolfo Daniel Vallejo
- Fourth round: Daniil Medvedev / Nikolai Budkov Kjaer
- Quarter-finals: Alexander Zverev
- Semi-finals: Felix Auger-Aliassime / Casper Ruud
- Final: Jannik Sinner
“He beat a very good player, so he’s growing up and of course it will be a tough match but I will give my 100 per cent to reach the third round.”
