Matteo Arnaldi qualified for the Roland Garros semifinals for the first time in his career after his compatriot Matteo Berrettini retired. Arnaldi was leading 7-5, 5-2 when Berrettini decided he could not continue anymore.
Berrettini’s career has been plagued by injuries in the last five years and he hasn’t been able to play consistently on the tour. The Wimbledon finalist suffered a hip injury and was seen holding back his tears when he went to his chair in the second set.
The former No. 6 player in the PIF ATP Rankings took an off-court medical timeout at 1-2 in the second set, but he didn’t feel any better.
“It’s a tough one,” Arnaldi said in his on-court interview. “We both played a lot, so it’s normal to not be at our best, but you never wish someone to end their tournament like this. He did an amazing tournament. We are all doing such a good job in Italy. I’m sorry for him and I hope he’s going to recover, because soon is going to be the grass and he is going to be very tough to play.”
Arnaldi had got off to a rocky start, dropping his serve twice in the first three games of the opening set. However, the Italian was able to bounce back to take the opener.
“I’m tired, that’s for sure,” Arnaldi said. “But I train, and I play tennis to play these kinds of tournaments and these kinds of matches. So I’m trying to give it all that I’ve got. Obviously, today I was a little bit more tired than usual. I wasn’t as fast as I think I was in the first match, but I’m here, and I’m enjoying my tennis again. I was injured until not long ago, so I’m just happy to be here and trying to give all I have.”
The 25-year-old will face fellow Italian Flavio Cobolli in the semifinal of the French Open on Friday. Cobolli had beaten Arnaldi in the second round of Roland Garros in 2025.
“I don’t know [if we will go for dinner on Thursday], but we are going to spend a lot of time together,” Arnaldi said when asked about facing his fellow Italian Cobolli. “It’s normal for us. We always try to train together and stay together around the tennis. It’s going to be a fun one. We played last year, and he won in four. But we played many times before. Hopefully it’s going to be a good match and a good fight.”
Arnaldi is delighted to make it to the last four in Paris and said the hard work has eventually paid off.
“Unbelievable, to be honest. I still can’t believe it,” Arnaldi said on reaching his first major semi-final. “If I think where I was a month ago, I was almost No. 150 in the world. Then I played the Challenger in Cagliari, and from there I started to feel better and train again like I wanted. Now I’m here. It’s crazy to think, but I always liked this tournament, and I always play well. Two years ago, I made the fourth round, so I love to play in front of this crowd.”
