Felix Auger-Aliassime and Flavio Cobolli are all set to battle it out in a blockbuster quarterfinal clash at the 2026 French Open. Both players have enjoyed dream campaigns at the clay-court Major, with their runs bolstered by the behind-the-scenes support of their respective partners.
Auger-Aliassime and Cobolli have each spoken highly of the meaningful role that the support system has played in their journey, both on and off the court.
Inside Felix Auger-Aliassime’s Relationship with Wife Nina Aliassime
Auger-Aliassime first crossed paths with professional equestrian Nina Aliassime née Ghaibi after he noticed her in the crowd at a tournament in March 2019, when he was just 18 years old. After feeling “strongly compelled” to meet her, the Canadian invited her out for dinner, and their instant connection on their dreamy first date soon blossomed into a relationship.
As their romance flourished, Nina became a regular presence at tennis tournaments, proudly showing her support for Auger-Aliassime. In November 2024, the Canadian surprised her with a romantic proposal during a trip to the Seychelles. They tied the knot in a lavish wedding ceremony in Marrakech, Morocco, days after Auger-Aliassime’s stellar run to the US Open semifinals.
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Auger-Aliassime hasn’t shied away from expressing his appreciation for Nina’s support and empathy throughout their relationship. Speaking to ATPTour.com in 2025, the 25-year-old described her as his best friend and stressed the importance of her presence in his life.
“I met her when I was 18 and she’s always been amazing when it comes to understanding what I have to go through. She supports me, listens and even gives me great advice, whether it’s about tennis or not. We really try to support each other in everything and at the same time, we’re best friends. It’s the best thing to have her in my life,” he said.
Auger-Aliassime also opened up about how they made time for one another despite the demands of two busy careers.
“She’s got her own career, so she’s busy too. But we try to see each other around every four weeks,” he added. “Whenever I’m close by and have a couple of days off, I’ll go see her if I have a break or I’m playing a tournament nearby, in Germany, Belgium, or Holland. I try to go see her.”
Inside Flavio Cobolli’s Relationship with Girlfriend Matilde Galli
Like Auger-Aliassime, Cobolli met his girlfriend, Matilde Galli, at the age of 18 while attending his best friend’s birthday party. Although the couple went public with their relationship in 2021, Galli prefers to keep a low profile. Nevertheless, she frequently travels to tournaments to support the 23-year-old while balancing her university studies, as she trains to become a hospital sanitary director.
Galli joined Cobolli on the court when he proudly celebrated leading Italy to their third consecutive Davis Cup title in Bologna last year. She was also present to cheer on the 23-year-old when he clinched his second ATP Tour title at the 2025 Hamburg Open.
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However, Galli’s presence in the crowd has not always been enough to carry Cobolli to victory, as he suffered a loss to Ben Shelton in the BMW Open final in April. During his runner-up speech, the Italian joked about banishing Galli from subsequent finals, which made her crack up in the stands.
“I called yesterday my girlfriend. I said, ‘Please don’t let me lose,’ but she does so, maybe next final you stay home,” he quipped.
Despite his quip, Cobolli is very grateful for Galli’s support. Speaking to ATPTour.com earlier this year, he revealed that he hopes to spend the rest of his life with his girlfriend.
“When you can count on someone that loves you a lot, that has been important for us because you have someone on your shoulder. Hopefully we can stay together for the rest of our lives,” Flavio Cobolli said.
The support is mutual, as the Italian explained how he helped Galli cope with the stress of her college studies, saying, “When she’s nervous [studying for an exam], I try to be kind to her and help make her life easier. But it’s not easy when you’re always on the Tour, and you have pressure everywhere and have another pressure at home. It’s not easy. But I think we are doing well. We have a great relationship.”
Cobolli also reflected on how they met when he was just starting out as a professional tennis player. He stressed that, although they were both young, they had already shared many significant experiences.
“I knew her when I was no one. I was outside of this Tour, and I grew up completely here. I met her when I was 18, I was one-thousand-and-something in the world, and we’re still together. So I think we found something that, of course, is working,” he said.
“I love her a lot, and I think she also loves me. We are very young, but we already have a great experience with ourselves and our lives to say that she’s the one that I want to have for all my life,” he added.
MORE: Flavio Cobolli vs Félix Auger-Aliassime Preview: Head-to-Head, Prediction for French Open 2026
On the tennis front, No. 10 seed Flavio Cobolli will have the advantage heading into his highly anticipated quarterfinal showdown with No. 4 seed Felix Auger-Aliassime as he holds a 2-0 lead in their head-to-head record. Their most recent encounter took place at the 2024 Canadian Open, where the Italian claimed a 6-3, 6-2 victory.
The winner of the match between Auger-Aliassime and Cobolli will face either Matteo Berrettini or Matteo Arnaldi in the semifinals of the French Open.
