Interview Stefano Cobolli: “I’ll tell you about my son Flavio, now we dream of the Finals”

Stefano Cobolli is father and coach. A dual role that is difficult to sustain, but one in which he finds himself increasingly comfortable. He and Flavio, Roland Garros finalist, have always had a “friccicarello” relationship, but now they have found the right balance and it shows. A Slam final and the Top 10 with a view to Wimbledon, where last year he surprised by reaching the quarterfinals. Cobolli jr is already in Halle, his first commitment on the lawns, father Stefano will join him in London.

Stefano, did you realize these two fantastic weeks that made all of Italy dream or does everything still seem far away?

“We lived them day by day. There was certainly a little more confusion, but the matches won today are experienced with more awareness and less amazement, and this makes it easier. Before, perhaps there was a lot of enthusiasm after a past round and this could lead to a drop in concentration. Now this thing is no longer there and it becomes easier to compete in the subsequent rounds too.”

What was the key moment at Roland Garros when you thought: “We’ll have fun this time”?

“I believe that the first three matches, all won in three sets, were decisive. He demonstrated great concentration and the ability to always compete at his best without giving in. This allowed him to get to the round of 16 fresh. In the Slams it is fundamental. In the past he had reached the third round several times after battles in the fifth set and then it became difficult to face the tougher matches in the second week.”

Vittorio Magnelli, one of Flavio’s first coaches, said that as a boy he had a tendency to complicate matches because he liked fighting. Does that mean it’s not like that anymore?

“That is a characteristic he has always had and probably always will have. Today, however, he manages to control it much better. Sometimes it still happens that he loses his way a little when he is far ahead in the score but it happens much less than before, when it was a constant.”

Now is the grass season. Is it difficult to find the mechanisms immediately?

“It’s part of the experience. We’ve already done it a couple of times and so it will be easier to adapt. Flavio has always been very good at surface changes and he needs a few days to find a way to play. We just need to pay attention to the workload and training sessions, because we’ve come off a very demanding two weeks.”

Were you able to disconnect a bit?

“Two or three days yes. But it was right to play Halle, otherwise he would have arrived at Wimbledon without playing on grass. Today he is not yet ready to be competitive without going through preparation matches. Maybe next year, if he still goes well in Paris, he will be able to take more time to rest and train directly on grass.”

The long-term goal is the Finals, Flavio let it slip away in Paris…

“We have always done this: when there is something difficult but achievable we set it as a goal. We told ourselves this and today we are in good shape, we are number four in the Race. We have to believe in it even more. It’s still a long way off, and many results will still be needed, but it’s a goal that can be achieved.”

Will you change anything in your preparation or goals?

“The main change concerns planning. If he continues to rise in the rankings and do well in the Slams and Masters 1000, he will have to play a few less tournaments, rest more and train better. When you consistently enter the top ten you play fewer tournaments.”

Now his son is a dangerous rival, but he is loved by all his colleagues.

“It all started in the Laver Cup the first year, when we had the chance to get to know these great players up close. With many of them a relationship of respect and sympathy was born, with some even friendship. For me and Flavio, the comparison with these champions and their teams is fundamental for acquiring skills. In addition to friendliness, there is the desire to learn as much as possible. Every word, every gesture can become useful for our entire team.”

The letter that his brother Guglielmo wrote to Flavio was very impressive on social media…

“Guglielmo is sensitive like Flavio. He was very good at accepting our relationship, because in the end, over the years, Flavio and I traveled around the world very often. I always tried to involve him when possible, taking him to tournaments and making him stay with us. I think we found a good balance.”

His wife Francesca also played a fundamental role.

“Absolutely. Without the work she has done over the years with the kids everything would have been much more difficult. We are a real team.”