Nole loses the first set, but it manages the key moments better and wins in four: “It means everything for me to get to the bottom even at 38 years old. Competizing with young people makes me feel young”
The applause of the Wimbledon plant, on which he played for the first time, all deserved them. True, the best Slam of Flavio Cobolli’s career stops in the quarterfinals, but in the four sets with Novak Djokovic the third blue tip has understood that at this level it can be there all right, which can play as a protagonist in the tennis temple against one of those legends to which he is trying to steal the secrets. Nole deserved the semifinal against Jannik Sinner on Friday, but on 6-7 (6) 6-2 7-5 6-4 in three hours and 11 minutes he tells how much Cobolli has kept, of what he tried to be the protagonist and not only appeared on the most famous tennis court in the world, of how that ranking that will say from Monday that it is one of the best 20 in the world has the air of being a launching pad and not the consequence of a magic moment. This quarter -final with Djokovic said that Cobolli is still missing something to beat the great ones, but that talent and head are the right ones to go up to the level you need to overcome Djokovic. Nole comes out with yet another standing ovation and a new ballet with the children, with yet another semifinal and the desire to win here his Slam number 25. “Wimbledon was, is and will be the most special tournament we have in this sport – Novak said – it means everything for me to get to the bottom even at 38 years old. Competing with young people makes me feel young. face it.
the keys
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The 7 times king of Wimbledon updates his record book: with the one coming against Sinner are 14 semifinals in the Slam on the grass, one more than Roger Federer who had hooked last year for the absolute record. And in total in the Slam now the semifinals are 52, the best result ever. In the 46 matches played at the All England Club since 2018, Nole has now lost only two, the finals against Carlos Alcaraz of 2023 and 2024. Djokovic recovered well after taking the first set, he punished Cobolli’s mistakes but risked big in the end, when on the second match point he ended up on the ground while making a split. “There were a few points missing, it was a bad slip but it happens when you play on the grass. I hadn’t fallen often so far, and I was surprised because as it should happen as a game. It arrived at a complicated moment, but I managed to close the match. We will see with my physiotherapist but I will try to be ready for Friday”. A great game remains in Cobolli: the tie-break won in the first set is a starting point, like the reaction after having badly lost the second and the desire to never give up, not even in the end. Flavio returns home with his best tournament ever and a new awareness of himself, with a level that also surprised Djokovic. “He surprised me with the service – said the Serbian of his opponent, who caressed the dream of becoming the fifth Italian ever in the semifinal in Wimbledon -. He is a player full of talent, one of those we will often hear about in the future. I wish him the best”.
the game
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Djokovic goes to serve for the first set on 5-3 after tearing the service in Cobolli, but the blue recovers a break, saves the set point in the next game and earns the tie-break, which conquers 8-6 by closing with the service. Nole takes the break in the fifth game, the blue goes on tilt and the 7 times king of Wimbledon easily closes the set with a 6-2. Cobolli immediately yields the service and seems to skid, but places the against break for the 2-2 and returns to the game at least until the 11th game, when he gives in the service allowing Djokovic to close on 7-5 in the next game. Nole vents the frustration on his racket after leaving the first game of the fourth set in Cobolli, but on 4-4 he has a precious break ball: Flavio seems to be able to cancel it after a great exchange, but he sends the volée of equality on the net and Djokovic to serve for the match. The 38 -year -old builds two sets sets and to try to convert the second one flies to the ground in the split: grimace of pain, Flavio and the judge who honest himself of his condition. Nole recovers and closes the accounts to the third match point. The applause of the central remain in Cobolli. And the security of having everything you need to go back.
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