Matteo Berrettini Among Three Italians in Quarter-Finals

In the 2026 French Open, Matteo Berrettini emerged victorious against Argentina's Juan Manuel Cerundolo, winning the match 6-3, 7-6 (7-2), 7-6 (8-6). This victory marked Berrettini's return to a Grand Slam quarter-final for the first time in almost four years, a feat he expressed joy about, stating that tennis is the "love of my life." At 30 years old, he is part of a historic moment for Italian tennis, as he is one of three Italians to reach the last eight; this is the first time in the Open era that three Italian players have advanced to this stage, despite world number one Jannik Sinner being eliminated in the second round.

Flavio Cobolli, the 10th seed, also progressed with a four-set victory over Zachary Svajda, while Matteo Arnaldi, ranked 104th in the world, achieved his quarter-final berth after a grueling five-hour match against 19th seed Frances Tiafoe. Berrettini's next opponent will be Arnaldi in what will be his first Grand Slam quarter-final match.

Berrettini has faced significant challenges in recent years, battling injuries and a drop to 105th in the world rankings after achieving a career-high of sixth in 2022. "After all the setbacks, all the injuries, all the bad moments, I came back once again," he reflected. He noted the unpredictability of tennis and his eagerness to focus on his game and enjoy the victory.

Earlier in the tournament, Berrettini had survived the longest match of his career, a five-hour and 16-minute encounter that required him to save two match points. In his match against Cerundolo, Berrettini dominated the first set and showcased resilience in the third set, where he saved three match points before clinching the tie-break.

Matteo Arnaldi is another rising star, having reached the quarter-finals by rallying from 2-1 down against Tiafoe. He expressed disbelief at his success, stating, "Today in the third set, I was so tired, but we live to play these matches. At one point, it wasn’t tennis, it was something else."

Felix Auger-Aliassime, a two-time US Open semi-finalist, also reached the quarter-finals with a straight-sets victory over Alejandro Tabilo. He will next face Flavio Cobolli, who fought hard to overcome Zachary Svajda. Cobolli acknowledged the intensity of the match, saying, "The only thing that I understood today is that the match is never done."

As the tournament progresses, Italian tennis holds an exciting stake with three players vying for a spot in the semi-finals.