Roland Garros, the blue wall in the stands all for Cobolli

That glimpse of blue in the stands of the Philippe Chatrier will remain among the iconic images of the Roland Garros final. The blue wall by Flavio Cobolli, the small army of love that arrived in Paris to support their son, brother, boyfriend, friend, nephew. All with the blue t-shirt to be more visible, to attract Flavio’s gaze in moments of celebration or in the most difficult ones. There is his mother, Francesca, who rarely appears but whom the Roman tennis player thanks publicly after the match, trying to regain a smile after the effort: “Until I was 16 and played football and tennis, she was the one who drove me between Parioli and Trigoria. She is my mother, she raised me, and I can only be grateful for what she did. Now she has found her balance, she stays at home and only comes when she knows I need positive energy.” And there is Guglielmo, the little brother who does not suffer from the fame of his firstborn, on the contrary, he takes him as an example and dedicates a post to him that is full of love and esteem: “When you entered the court I held my breath – he writes on Instagram -. I thought of everything in just a second, of when we were little and I saw you go out with the racket and a suitcase and I didn’t know when you would return. To dad next to you, in every corner of the world, to how much you both gave, in silence, without anyone really understanding the price. I understood it. Because I was there, because I am your brother. And I love you in a way that never ends.”

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And then Edoardo Bove, also in blue, children who grew up together with the dream of becoming footballers, their paths took different directions but their souls remained united. In joy and pain as in true friendships. Edoardo who risked his life due to a heart problem, Flavio who held his breath until he was safe. “What happened to him made me mature, understand that you should never take for granted the joy of being able to do what you love.” Edo arrived in Paris for him, followed his training, almost part of the team, of the family: “Flavio built himself, I’m proud of him”. And then Matilde, the girlfriend with whom he practically grew up, a constant but never intrusive presence, never looking for a spotlight which on the contrary he avoids with modesty. She who on the eve of Flavio’s most important match is so agitated that she is almost unable to speak: “There was so much tension around me, I had to go to the pitch because I was getting a pit in my stomach from anxiety…”. Everyone for Cobbo, Cobbo for everyone, a festive caravan even in defeat: “I don’t look at you or I feel like crying” said the tennis player during the awards ceremony, later explaining how important that blue wall was: “It was special. There were friends, people who have always known me, my girlfriend, my grandparents. I think they are proud of me and I think that this evening they will all give me a big hug. In the end we played a Slam final: no one will be able to take this experience away from us”. The blue wall never ends.