Flavio Cobolli pulled off a stunning 6-3, 6-3 upset against defending champion Alexander Zverev in the semifinals of the BMW Open. This marked the Italian’s first completed win over a top-10 player, and he appeared emotional afterward.
Cobolli will now be taking on Ben Shelton or Alex Molcan in the final of the BMW Open. The 23-year-old is aiming to win his fourth title on the ATP Tour in Munich.
Flavio Cobolli Gets Emotional After Defeating Alexander Zverev
Zverev was the favorite to win in Munich as the top seed and the world No. 3, but Cobolli managed to spring a surprise in the semifinals. The Italian was dominant on his serve, broke his opponent’s serve four times, and hit 32 winners en route to a well-deserved win.
Simply stunning 🤩
An emotional Flavio Cobolli defeats defending champion Zverev 6-3 6-3 to get his first completed win against a top ten opponent 🔥#bmwopenbybitpanda pic.twitter.com/7QMzFsyCxl
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) April 18, 2026
Afterward, he appeared to get emotional as he celebrated his win. The Italian had posted on Instagram earlier this week, and a fan explained on social media that he was reportedly playing through the heartbreaking loss of a close friend’s child who had recently passed away. The story was also shared by the Italian publication SportMediaset.
“Every point I play, every ball I touch, every step I take, I will think of you. I will play for you, I will carry you with me wherever I go. I remember your smile when you asked me questions. You were a cheerful boy, full of energy and eager to learn,” Cobolli wrote on his Instagram story.
“I just finished the match and I’m shocked… tennis school will never be the same without you, but I promised you will never by forgotten. I love you so much, little Mattia,” he added.
After the match, Cobolli also explained what the win over Zverev meant to him. He described it as one of his best performances on the tour and hailed the German as one of his best friends on the ATP Tour.
“One of my best matches ever against one of my biggest friends on tour. We have a really good relationship also with the kids and with everyone on his team. I’m a little shy when I play against a big player. But today, I played one of my best matches. I’m really happy about the performance, about how I managed the difficulty during the match. Now, I’m ready to fight again,” he said.
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Cobolli has established himself as a strong clay-court player over the years, with two of his three ATP Tour titles coming on the surface. Another win on Sunday would put him in an excellent position as he looks to get some momentum ahead of the French Open.
