Lorenzo Musetti vs. Flavio Cobolli: When the Lyon derby for a spot in the final takes place, and where to watch it on TV
After defeating France’s Luca Van Assche at the end of a true tennis marathon that lasted over three and a half hours, Lorenzo Musetti earned a spot in the semifinals of the ATP 250 tournament in Lyon, the Grand Prix Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes: The Carrara native, who won 7-6(5), 6(7)-7, 6-4, will now face fellow Italian Flavio Cobolli in the semifinals; Cobolli, meanwhile, defeated Brandon Nakashima 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 in his quarterfinal match.
The match on the hard courts in Lyon is scheduled for Saturday no earlier than 4 p.m. and will be broadcast live by Sky Sport on its satellite channels and streamed on Now. The match between the two Italian players means much more than just a spot in the final: at a pivotal moment for Italian tennis—which has endured difficult months following Jannik Sinner’s triumph at Wimbledon, due to the subsequent injury that will keep him off the courts until the end of 2026—Musetti and Cobolli are striving to keep the Italian flag flying high on the major tour.
The semifinal featuring these two players will guarantee Italy a spot in the final of the French tournament—a result that is anything but trivial, considering that the other semifinal will feature another all-American matchup between two top-tier American players, Tommy Paul and Taylor Fritz.
For Musetti and Cobolli, this is also an important step toward the end of the season. The Roman continues to chase his dream of qualifying for the ATP Finals—a milestone that would serve as yet another confirmation of the progress he’s made in recent months—while the player from Carrara seeks consistency and valuable points to close the gap on the top of the world rankings.
In the background is also the Davis Cup, an event in which the two Italian players will be called upon to carry on part of the legacy left by Sinner’s absence, as Italy seeks a historic fourth consecutive title. In this context, the Lyon derby takes on a significance that extends far beyond the confines of a single tournament.
