Arnaldi advances to French Open semi-finals as Berrettini retires hurt

Matteo Arnaldi secured a place in his maiden Grand Slam semi-final after fellow Italian Matteo Berrettini was forced to retire injured during their French Open quarter-final on Wednesday.

Arnaldi was leading 7-5, 5-2 on Court Philippe-Chatrier when Berrettini, visibly struggling with a hip and leg issue, decided he could not continue. The emotional retirement brought an abrupt end to what had been one of the most inspiring comeback stories of the tournament.

The result sends Arnaldi into a historic all-Italian semi-final against Flavio Cobolli and guarantees Italy a men's singles finalist at Roland Garros despite the early exit of world No. 1 and defending finalist Jannik Sinner.

Berrettini's Fairytale Run Ends in Heartbreak

Berrettini arrived in Paris carrying renewed momentum after several injury-plagued seasons that had disrupted his career.

The former Wimbledon finalist had battled through physically demanding matches to reach his first Grand Slam quarter-final since the 2022 US Open, reigniting hopes of another deep major run.

However, concerns emerged early in the second set when the 30-year-old required a medical timeout after appearing to experience discomfort around his left hip and upper leg area.

Although he attempted to continue, his movement became increasingly restricted. With Arnaldi firmly in control at 5-2 in the second set, Berrettini consulted his team before making the difficult decision to retire.

The Italian left the court visibly emotional as the Paris crowd applauded his efforts throughout the tournament.

Arnaldi Continues Remarkable Roland Garros Journey

For Arnaldi, the victory marks the biggest achievement of his career.

Ranked No. 104 in the world entering the tournament, the 25-year-old has produced one of the surprise runs of the men's draw. His journey to the semi-finals has included multiple marathon encounters, with the Italian spending more than 17 hours on court before reaching the quarter-finals.

Despite the physical demands, Arnaldi continued to show resilience against Berrettini.

After losing the opening three games, he settled into the contest, winning the first set 7-5 before taking firm control of the second.

Speaking after the match, Arnaldi expressed sympathy for his compatriot.

"It's a tough one. We both played a lot, so it's normal not to be at our best, but you never want someone's tournament to end like this."

He also praised the growing strength of Italian tennis and wished Berrettini a speedy recovery ahead of the grass-court season.

Historic All-Italian Semi-Final Awaits

Arnaldi will now face Flavio Cobolli in the first all-Italian men's Grand Slam semi-final in history.

Cobolli booked his place in the last four earlier on Wednesday after recovering from a set down to defeat fourth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.

The meeting guarantees Italy its first men's singles finalist at Roland Garros since the Open Era began and highlights the nation's growing influence in men's tennis.

While much of the attention before the tournament centred on Sinner's title hopes, Arnaldi and Cobolli have emerged as the unexpected standard-bearers for Italian tennis in Paris.

Italy's Tennis Revolution Continues

The success of Arnaldi and Cobolli adds another chapter to what has become a golden period for Italian tennis.

With Sinner established among the sport's elite, Berrettini returning to form when healthy, and younger talents continuing to emerge, Italy now boasts one of the deepest talent pools in men's tennis.

Regardless of who advances to Sunday's final, the French Open will feature an Italian men's finalist, a remarkable achievement that underlines the country's growing stature on the global stage.

SportsLigue