The profuse crying of the brother, the tension of the father, the joy of the audience and the closeness to the defeated opponent: all the emotions of Flavio’s sensational victory in the Davis Cup
There are matches, regardless of the opponent, that can be worth a career. Matches, not so much for the level of play expressed, but for the emotions returned and perceived, which remain engraved in the memory more than a trophy or an important final. In Flavio Cobolli’s career, and it will be difficult to beat, that match was played on Friday 21 November 2025 at the Bologna Fair, Davis Cup semi-finals: 6-3 6-7(5) 7-6(15) against the Belgian Zizou Bergs, finishing on the seventh match point after seven disallowed points. But what was striking, in addition to Flavio’s tears and joy, were the emotions of those watching the match. Suffering as much and more than him. From Matteo Berrettini to Edoardo Bove.
Matteo’s anxiety
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Berrettini, who watched Flavio grow up, knowing him from an early age, had played before him, beating Collignon in two comfortable sets. And he would probably have preferred to play again and again rather than suffer in the stands, together with the rest of the Italy team, during the hot phases of the Cobolli match. In the long third set he seemed much more tense than Flavio himself: he jumped up at every point, smiled as soon as he met his gaze, and shouted at break points. But on match points for Belgium the enthusiasm turned into anxiety: Matteo, a former Wimbledon finalist, covered his face with his t-shirt, like when you watch a teammate take a penalty. He did it several times and in the end, when the victory arrived, he was the first to rush onto the pitch to hug Flavio. Shaking his head almost in disbelief.
brotherly tears
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With every shot, dad Stefano seemed more worried, more tried, beyond the scoring situation. As if under the armor of a coach who evaluates his player the tension that a parent feels in important moments of a child’s life was trying to emerge. Nonetheless, from the Cobolli family, Flavio’s brother, Guglielmo, stole the show. Younger, he ended up in tears, which flowed copiously (“and stop crying”, Flavio jokingly warned him from the field). Not a simple emotion. The two share all the Roman’s experiences on the tour, but never had something so exciting, so incredible and difficult to observe as a spectator, as today’s third set tie-break. “I found myself one step away from having a heart attack,” his little brother confessed at the end of the game, “I can’t help myself in this case, I didn’t even have anxiety anymore. But now I really understand where he got to, he’s the person I love most in my life.”
the other side of the coin
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Cobolli won a crazy match. But, reversing the perspective, it is also Bergs who has lost it. Leading to Belgium’s elimination from the Davis Cup. Zizou stayed just long enough to shake hands with the chair umpire. Then he burst into long tears. Bitter, of frustration, not of joy. During the Italian celebration, he remained with his face in his hands or in the towel, thinking back to the seven match points. Then, once the ecstasy of his victory was over, Cobolli arrived. Who sat down, in perhaps the best moment of his evening, to console his defeated opponent. An arm around the shoulders, words of comfort, aware of the dual nature of tennis, especially on these evenings. Small gestures that can be worth more than many words. As happened in the stands, alongside his brother Guglielmo, during the match.
Edo’s prayers
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Edoardo Bove, who also went to wish Flavio good luck before the match, is one of Cobolli’s best friends. They grew up together, both excellent athletes, the footballer was also at Wimbledon. Today he reacted differently, more calm in appearance, but which suggested total immersion in the match: gaze fixed on the pitch, in every shot he seemed to be in an act of prayer, almost eating his hands from the tension. And, in the infinite tie-break of the third, in the moments in which defeat seemed close, those hands ended up in the hair. In the end, a sincere, relaxed smile, almost as if it didn’t even have the strength to make the tears fall. Aware, he who played both football and tennis with Cobolli as a boy, of having experienced up close, in his beloved Italy together as children, one of the moments that Flavio had dreamed of all his life. And which made it a dream for the whole of Italy, especially for a SuperTennis Arena that exploded like a football curve after a goal in a derby on the last, decisive match point. Prayers, tears, the historic victory: a November 21st that will remain imprinted like a tattoo for Flavio.
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