The match and the surprise! The fourth favorite at Roland Garros was eliminated in the quarters
Article by Maria Olteanu – Published on Wednesday, 03 June 2026, 21:10 / Updated on Wednesday, 03 June 2026 21:10
Surprises keep coming at Roland Garros, by far the craziest edition of the Grand Slam on the Parisian clay! In the quarterfinals, the fourth favorite on the men's draw, Felix Auger-Aliassime (25 years old, world number 6), was eliminated after being defeated by Flavio Cobolli (24 years old, world number 14) with the score 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.
After Wednesday's first quarter-final in the men's draw, one thing is certain: we will have a 100% Italian semi-final and an Italian in the final at Roland Garros.
Cobolli eliminated Auger-Aliassime after coming back from 0-1 down to advance to the semi-finals, where he will play the winner of compatriots Matteo Berrettini and Matteo Arnaldi in the second match of the men's draw on Wednesday.
Felix Auger-Aliassime, eliminated in the quarters at Roland Garros
Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime started as the favorite in Wednesday's match and everything went well for him in the first set, which he won 6-4. Then came the collapse, three identical sets, all lost 4-6, at the end of a game that lasted three and a half hours.
In addition to reaching the men's singles semifinals at a Grand Slam for the first time in his career, Flavio Cobolli's victory makes two Italians meet in the semifinals of a Grand Slam for the first time in the Open Era.
Winner Flavio Cobolli is also the first player since Dominic Thiem in 2016 to win his first four career matches against players in the ATP Top 10 exclusively on clay.
Felix Auger-Aliassime and the “Italian nightmare”
Felix Auger-Aliassime continues to have a real “Italian nightmare” at Grand Slam tournaments. In the quarter-finals at Roland Garros, the Canadian was defeated by Flavio Cobolli, marking his sixth loss in as many matches against Italians in the main Grand Slam draws.
The streak began at Roland Garros 2021 against Andreas Seppi and continued with setbacks to Matteo Berrettini, Fabio Fognini, Matteo Arnaldi, Jannik Sinner and now Cobolli. Auger-Aliassime's record against Italians at Grand Slams is tough: 0 wins, 6 losses against 6 different opponents.
