In recent years, Jannik Sinner has been the poster boy for Italian tennis.
While Lorenzo Musetti and Matteo Berrettini have also had their time in the Grand Slam spotlight, no player has had a greater impact on the success of Italian tennis as Sinner, the current world No.1.
However, there are two new stars emerging at Roland Garros and striving to become Italy’s next tennis icon.
For the first time in the Open era, there will be an all-Italian Grand Slam semifinal, with childhood friends Flavio Cobolli and Matteo Arnaldi both competing for a place in their first major final.
This fortnight in Paris marked the first time three Italians – Cobolli, Arnaldi and Berrettini – had reached the quarterfinal stage at the same Slam, and now, Cobolli and Arnaldi will each play in their first major semifinal.
This is their biggest stage to date, yet it might feel like another backyard battle given their storied history.
“We are good friends. We practice a lot together. We’ve played a lot since we were 11, 12, we know each other very well,” said Arnaldi, who remembers playing against Cobolli in various national championships.
“I hope it's going to be a good fight, but at the same time, I hope it's going to be a good match to watch and to enjoy on court, as well, for both of us.”
In a draw where the seeds were decimated early – including Sinner, in one of the biggest Grand Slam upsets in recent memory – 10th seed Cobolli weathered the storm to remain in contention.
Eleven months after challenging Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon quarterfinals, Cobolli has gone a round better, coming from a set and 3-1 down to defeat fourth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Having dropped just two sets throughout the tournament, second-fewest behind Alexander Zverev, the 24-year-old is feeling at home in Paris.
“This is the best court I’ve ever played on in my life because I can express my best tennis,” he said on court. “I just said to myself to fight because I feel like this is the chance of my life. I have to give everything in my matches.”
Rafael Nadal might have retired, but his meticulous legacy lives on at the tournament. Cobolli, who idolises the 14-time Roland Garros champion, is now being recognised for his superstitious tendencies.
The Italian has been eating from the same menu and the same restaurant with his friends after every match, however, one superstition provides a closer connection to Nadal.
“I used the same shower as Rafa,” Cobolli said. “I had a memory with that shower that I tried to use the same stall as him and knocked [on the door] and I had to hurry up because he was waiting for me. He told me that it had been his shower for 14 years.”
Flavio Cobolli with a nice anecdote about Rafa 🎙️#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/gGtG0kVjET
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 3, 2026
On the contrary, Arnaldi is flying under the radar. Only receiving direct entry into the tournament following Jack Draper’s withdrawal, the 25-year-old is making the most of his opportunity.
Already the first player outside of the top 100 to reach the Roland Garros men’s semifinal since Filip Dewulf in 1997, Arnaldi bids to become the first player in history to make the final in Paris from that position.
His road to the semifinals has not been easy. He has accumulated a total court time of 19 hours and 42 minutes, the longest en route to a Grand Slam semifinal since match times were recorded in 1991.
Despite the length of his matches, Arnaldi is still feeling fresh, eager to be back on court.
“I’m feeling pretty good, actually. Obviously it was a question mark today, because I played two long matches in a row,” said Arnaldi, who overcame an injured Berrettini in the quarterfinals.
“I have been playing a lot, but at the same time, I'm happy to be on court and to spend time on court, because I miss playing. I for sure have some energy left for the next matches.”
Arnaldi being two victories away from claiming the Roland Garros crown is unfathomable considering he only won his first tour-level match of the year in Rome at the beginning of May.
The world No.104 believes his title-winning campaign at the Cagliari Challenger in Italy was a turning point in his Parisian run.
“I still can’t believe it,” he said.
“If I think about where I was a month ago, I was almost 150 in the world and then I played the Challenger in Cagliari and from there I started to feel better and train again like I wanted and now I’m here, it’s just crazy.”
Regardless of the victor in this semifinal, Italy will have their fourth men’s Grand Slam finalist after Sinner, Berrettini and Adriano Panatta.
And whoever Italy’s representative is, they aim to become the first men’s Italian champion at Roland Garros since Panatta 50 years ago, potentially elevating them to superstardom.