Flavio Cobolli, the 22nd seed from Italy, is facing his childhood idol, Novak Djokovic, in a highly anticipated Wimbledon 2025 quarterfinal clash on Centre Court on Wednesday.
The Italian even won the first set 7-6 (8-6) to make things difficult for the 24-time Grand Slam winner as he dreams for his 25th crown.
For Cobolli, this is undoubtedly the biggest match of his career, a moment he’s dreamt of since picking up a racket.
The 23-year-old Italian has made a remarkable run at Wimbledon, culminating in a fourth-round victory over veteran Marin Cilic to earn his spot in the last eight. Cobolli, who watches videos of Djokovic daily for tips and insights, is now be exploiting his idol’s game for any weaknesses on the grandest stage.
“I will be on one of the biggest stages in the world, this is the best court in the world,” Cobolli said ahead of the clash. “I don’t know what I’ll do before the match because he’s my biggest idol. I want to enjoy the match, the crowd, I want to have fun every point I play with him.”
Footballer-turned-Tennis player
While he’s now a professional tennis player, Cobolli’s athletic journey nearly took a different path. As a child, he spent five years in the academies of his beloved football club AS Roma, playing as a right-back.
At 14, he opted for the individual nature of tennis, but his passion for Roma remains undimmed. He attends matches whenever possible and still prefers watching football over tennis on TV. A tattoo on his chest, reading ‘sei tu l’unica mia sposa, sei tu l’unico mio amor’ (you are my only wife, you are my only love), is a testament to his devotion to the club and a famous quote from Roma legend Daniele de Rossi.
Cobolli maintains close friendships with players he grew up with in the Roma academy, including Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori and Fiorentina midfielder Edoardo Bove. He was visibly emotional when Bove collapsed on the pitch during a Serie A match last year. Bove, in turn, surprised Cobolli by attending the final of the Hamburg Open earlier this year, where Cobolli won his first ATP 500 title by defeating Andrey Rublev in straight sets.
Despite his tennis success, Cobolli hasn’t abandoned football entirely. He still plays foot tennis with fellow ATP Tour players like Carlos Alcaraz and enjoys padel with his friends from Roma.
Currently ranked world No. 24, Cobolli has enjoyed a breakthrough 2025 season, clinching two ATP Tour titles: the Romanian Open and the Hamburg European Open.
His career high ranking of No. 24 was achieved on June 16, 2025. This Wimbledon quarterfinal appearance marks his deepest run at a Grand Slam, building on previous third-round showings at the Australian and US Opens in 2024.
Content Source: sportstar.thehindu.com