Meet Flavio Cobolli: Five things to know about Djokovic’s Shanghai opponent | ATP Tour

5 Issues To Know

Meet Flavio Cobolli: 5 issues to learn about Djokovic’s subsequent Shanghai opponent

Study in regards to the different sport he grew up taking part in and his love of tattoos

October 08, 2024

Flavio Cobolli has loved one of many largest rises of any participant in the course of the 2024 season and on Tuesday, he’ll get to check simply how far he has come.

The Italian, who’s at a career-high No. 30 within the PIF ATP Rankings, will face 99-time tour-level titlist Novak Djokovic within the third spherical of the Rolex Shanghai Masters. Earlier than the pair’s first Lexus ATP Head2Head assembly, ATPTour.com appears to be like at 5 issues to know in regards to the 22-year-old Cobolli.

Flavio dreamt of going through NovakWhile Cobolli has an amazing relationship with fellow Italians like Fabio Fognini, he idolised Djokovic.

“He’s my idol since after I began to play tennis. I grew up along with his movies, his matches and now I’m nonetheless going to mattress, to sleep along with his photographs [in my mind],” Cobolli stated after defeating Stan Wawrinka Monday within the Shanghai second spherical. “It’s an amazing factor to play towards him and I wish to take pleasure in each level I’ll do on this court docket.”

The Italian will attempt to safe the primary High 10 win of his profession. He’ll arrive on court docket with an 0-7 report towards the elite group.

He has damaged by means of in 2024Last 12 months, Cobolli stepped onto the massive stage when he competed within the Subsequent Gen ATP Finals offered by PIF. However in 2024, he has taken his sport to a complete new stage.

Coming into the 12 months, Cobolli had by no means climbed greater than World No. 95 and owned simply six tour-level wins. This season alone has has earned 34 tour-level victories, gained not less than one match in any respect 4 majors and superior to his first ATP Tour last in Washington.

“I used to be shaking, shaking for on a regular basis. I can not describe the emotion as a result of it is my first time in all places,” Cobolli stated after defeating Ben Shelton to achieve the ultimate. “Each event is my first time. Each match is my first time. I can show I can study from each match.”

Flavio’s father was knowledgeable and is now his coachStefano Cobolli, Flavio’s father, climbed to No. 236 within the PIF ATP Rankings. Sarcastically, he owns a win towards Wawrinka, whom his son defeated Monday in Shanghai.

Stefano is now Flavio’s coach. Nonetheless, their skilled partnership solely started when Flavio was 17.

“He at all times advised me, ‘It’s important to enhance alone. It’s important to make your life alone, after which I’ll aid you later’,” Cobolli recalled. “‘I’d wish to make this work so I may also help you later, when you find yourself prepared.”

His shut pal is a star soccer playerCobolli is a big AS Roma fan. Certainly one of his greatest mates, Edoardo Bove, performed for the crew. The Italians met once they had been seven, performed soccer collectively and have been shut ever since.

Bove is at present competing for Fiorentina, on mortgage from Roma.

“We be in contact day-after-day. We’ve got an enormous relationship. Additionally, after I’m house, we go to make dinner with our girlfriends, so now we have a great relationship additionally along with his household. Once I win a match, his father is the primary to jot down to me,” Cobolli stated. “We began with tennis, as a result of he was a tennis participant additionally. After which we met in Trigoria, the place the place Roma practises.”

Cobolli likes tattoos and has manyThe Italian has a number of tattoos — some seen whereas he competes, and a few not. Certainly one of his most significant tattoos is a quote from his idol, soccer legend and till final month AS Roma supervisor Daniele De Rossi. It reads: “Sei tu l unica mia sposa sei tu I unico mio amor”.

In English, which means: “You might be my solely spouse, you’re my solely love”. That may be a saying De Rossi would placed on his captain’s armband when he was a participant.

💪 pic.twitter.com/SYqV5IsxQW

— Flavio Cobolli (@cobollifla) February 6, 2024

Different tattoos embody the saying “going for the win” in Italian, others in Chinese language that means “courageous” and “ardour”, the wolf of Roma and the image of Florence. He additionally has mountains and what he calls a “grumpy face”.

Coblli added: “I wish to make tattoos, as a result of I like [having] my physique painted, and so there isn’t a cause about that. I similar to it. I get up and I’m going.”