Flavio Cobolli on learning from Carlos Alcaraz & leaving McDonald’s behind | ATP Tour

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Cobolli on studying from Alcaraz & leaving McDonald’s behind

Surging Italian was an alternate for Staff Europe on the Laver Cup

September 23, 2024

Good issues come to those that wait.

Flavio Cobolli has reaped the rewards of that philosophy this yr on the ATP Tour. The 22-year-old Italian has loved a breakout 2024, racking up 31 of his 37 profession tour-level wins and rising to the brink of the High 30 within the PIF ATP Rankings. For somebody who had gained simply six tour-level matches coming into the season, that’s fairly some progress.

“Since I used to be younger, I instructed myself, ‘You might be good at tennis. You are able to do properly on this sport. Keep calm, take your time and be affected person, as a result of the outcomes will come’,” Cobolli instructed ATPTour.com. “This yr, the outcomes got here, so I’m joyful.” 

Cobolli loved an additional reward for his breakout season on the ATP Tour final week, when he joined Staff Europe as an alternate for its profitable Laver Cup marketing campaign in Berlin. Simply eight months after he entered the High 100 of the PIF ATP Rankings for the primary time, Cobolli spent every week in Berlin rubbing shoulders and practising with the likes of Bjorn Borg, Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev and Daniil Medvedev.

“I discovered so much from the blokes. They’re wonderful,” Cobolli mentioned in Berlin. “I didn’t know anybody right here [except Alcaraz], however for the reason that first day I got here right here they handled me properly. They helped me so much. They gave me some suggestions for the longer term, for the remainder of the season. They’re very nice and I loved this week.

“I knew Carlos properly. We’re the identical age, and we all know one another rather well. We now have a pleasant relationship. I want to speak about different issues than tennis with him, however I requested [Grigor] Dimitrov plenty of issues, and Zverev. Guys which have a bit of bit extra expertise. In fact, Carlos is already a legend of our sport, however we want to speak about soccer or different issues for now!”

After impressing however falling simply in need of a semi-final spot on the 2023 Subsequent Gen ATP Finals offered by PIF final November, Cobolli frolicked coaching with Alcaraz within the offseason. He credit that coaching stint as the important thing to his spectacular rise this yr.

“I did plenty of work in pre-season,” he mentioned. “We labored so much to enhance on my recreation and my [mentality]. We went to the Ferrero Academy in Villena with Carlos. We did plenty of work, had enjoyable collectively, and I believe starting the season like this helped me so much for the outcomes. I discovered so much from his group, and I had good outcomes after that preseason.”

Thomas Enqvist, Grigor Dimitrov, Carlos Alcaraz and Flavio Cobolli of Staff Europe on the Laver Cup.” fashion=”width:100%;” src=”https://www.atptour.com/-/media/pictures/information/2024/09/23/20/51/cobolli-alcaraz-dimitrov-laver-cup-2024.jpg”>Picture Credit score: Clive Brunskill/Getty Photos.Cobolli’s first occasion of the yr was the Australian Open, the place he wanted to earn entry in the principle draw by way of qualifying. He efficiently did so and superior to the third spherical in Melbourne, which proved a pivotal and an important confidence-booster.

“I used to be one out [of the main draw] earlier than the event, so I used to be actually [disappointed],” he recalled. “However I certified after which I gained towards [Nicolas] Jarry in 5 units, in order that match meant so much to me. I additionally beat Felix [Auger-Aliassime] in February in Acapulco. It was a very good time for my profession.”

In addition to Alcaraz, Cobolli’s full-time presence on the ATP Tour has led to him crossing paths with one other former World No. 1 and Grand Slam champion. In April in Barcelona, he was drawn to face Rafael Nadal within the Spaniard’s first aggressive match for greater than three months.

Taking over Nadal in entrance of an adoring dwelling crowd was all the time going to be a tricky project, and the 22-time main champion prevailed 6-2, 6-3. But Cobolli stayed true to his philosophy of staying affected person within the face of powerful outcomes, and he believes he took lots away from the expertise.

“Enjoying with Rafa is one other stage,” Cobolli mentioned. “I watched him since I used to be younger on TV and when the draw got here out, I mentioned, ‘I don’t know if I wish to play with him, as a result of I don’t know if I deserve it. I don’t know if I’m prepared’. In fact I used to be a bit of bit nervous initially, all through the entire match even.

“It was expertise. I loved each level I did with him, and naturally I discovered additionally from that match. Issues that helped me for the weeks that got here after.”

Cobolli, who reached his maiden tour-level remaining in Washington final month, will subsequent compete at one other hard-court ATP 500, the China Open in Beijing. As he nears the tip of his first full season on Tour, is there one key lesson he has discovered from spending extra time with the world’s finest gamers?

“I believe not simply the High 5 gamers on the earth, but in addition the High 50, they’re actually skilled, they usually by no means miss a factor,” he mentioned. “They spend plenty of time recovering their our bodies and therapeutic properly. All of the coaching classes they do are 100 per cent. Firstly of the yr, it wasn’t like this for me. I did 70 or 80 per cent, I ate McDonald’s. Now it has modified after I watched them. I modified it.”