Flavio Cobolli, painful knockout in Monte Carlo

Flavio Cobolli was eliminated in the second round of the 2026 Monte Carlo Masters 1000. The No. 10 seed was defeated in two sets with the scores of 6-3, 6-3 in an hour and a half of play by Belgian Alexander Blockx, who came from the qualifiers.

The Azzurro, who had also exited at the round of 16 in Monte Carlo in 2025, suffers a break in the third game and then fails to exploit five counterbreak balls in the following games. In the second partial, too, the Tuscan tennis player immediately went into trouble, suffering the break in the fourth game. Blockx’s solidity on serve does not allow Cobolli to get back in the running.

Blockx will face Australian Alex de Minaur, number 5 in the seeding, in the round of 16. Cobolli confirms a not too exciting start to 2026: his only high point came in Acapulco, when he managed to win the Mexican Open by overcoming Tiafoe in the final.

Then several disappointments, including the Australian Open where he was eliminated immediately in the first round by Englishman Fery. After his elimination, the Italians in the running remain Sinner, Musetti and Berrettini, who in the round of 16 will face rising star Joao Fonseca.