Flavio Cobolli, it’s a heartbreaking scene: what’s at stake for the Italian champion

The tears of a young man who risks missing out on an important opportunity, and the brotherly comfort of someone who knows all too well what it means to see everything fall apart because of bad luck. These are the images that capped off the evening for Flavio Cobolli and Matteo Berrettini at the Erste Bank Open in Vienna, with the all-Italian matchup ending in the worst possible way for “Cobbo”: a muscle injury sustained during the first set forced him to retire in tears, amid the crowd’s encouraging applause and a hug from his friend Matteo.

Absolutely heartbreaking scenes in Vienna 💔

Flavio Cobolli leaves the court in tears as he is forced to retire against his great friend Berrettini 😢 https://t.co/NRyAVYkToQ

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) October 29, 2026

The scene that unfolded on the Austrian court was truly heartbreaking. Cobolli gritted his teeth until the score was 2-2, proudly fending off two break points, before dropping three games in a row and throwing in the towel. Once seated on the bench, the 2002-born player let out a cathartic cry, immediately comforted by a visibly shaken and sympathetic Berrettini.

At the end of the match, Berrettini himself perfectly captured the sporting drama that unfolded in those minutes: “I’m so sorry; it’s something I’ve experienced firsthand far too many times. Flavio wants to be in Turin for the Finals—there’s nothing worse than getting injured two weeks before the tournament.”

Berrettini’s words carry the weight of boulders because they strike at the raw nerve of the season. The loss in Vienna risks undoing all the good work Cobolli has done so far, right on the home stretch. The 24-year-old was one step away from mathematically qualifying for the ATP Finals in Turin (November 15–22), a historic event he dreamed of playing in as a star in front of his home crowd. Added to this is his role on the Italian national team: Filippo Volandri had included him in the plans for the Davis Cup Finals (November 24–29).

Now the top priority shifts to the medical room. The diagnostic tests scheduled shortly will provide the final verdict on the extent of the muscle injury. Italian fans are hoping this is just a false alarm with no lasting consequences, but the next few hours will determine whether the Italian talent will have to swallow this bitter pill.