Cobolli turns pressure into fuel: "I want to use it like a friend"
The Italian once again demonstrated that he is in a state of grace this season. His first victory in this US Open, no less than a comeback after losing the first two sets.
The US Open 2026 kicked off with a new challenge for Flavio Cobolli, a man who this season has been collecting new experiences, most of which he has overcome with flying colors. After his first comeback after losing the first two sets, the Italian revealed in a press conference what the secret was to defeating Comesaña.
Starting the tournament with a bang
"As always, the beginning of a tournament is never easy. I think today I played against an incredible player like Francisco, who is always difficult to face. He has an amazing hand and uses it very well. We had long exchanges, he returned very well and served very well, so it was truly hard to start the match, especially since we played at Louis Armstrong, which is very big and very loud, as everyone could see. But I am still very happy with my performance. As I said before, it is never easy to start a tournament, but I think I played a great match."
Cobolli reveals the key to his comeback against Comesaña
"I had a great game at 1-1 or 2-1, I don't remember when I served, but I saved two break points. That shot made me feel more comfortable, made me feel that, at that moment, I had nothing to lose, so I gave it my all on the court. I think that moment meant a lot for the match."
Cobolli and his philosophy of feeding off pressure
"I feel the pressure, but it is something I want to use as a friend. I always like to play when the pressure is high. That means I also like to be in these types of scenarios and play alongside incredible players, legends of our sport like Serena and Carlos. I love playing at The Stars. It’s always an amazing feeling to play in the biggest stadium in the world, with all the fans and with the stadium full. It’s something I’m not used to, but I’m trying to feel more and more comfortable when it happens. Now I feel good when I'm on a court like that, when it's full, even when the crowd is with my opponent. I’m trying to stay as calm as possible. I don’t know if you can see it, but I’m trying to do something different from what I used to do in the past.”
Living a glorious season
"This year I have my girlfriend here, so we are trying to see things we have never seen together. It's a more special year than the previous ones. My mother is also here, my brother is here, I have my whole family. As always, we have a very big team and we do everything together. I’m trying to find some moments with my girlfriend to get to know a bit of New York, which is a city we really like. Maybe tomorrow we'll go to see something different. If you have any advice for me...".
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Cobolli convierte la presión en gasolina: "Quiero utilizarla como una amiga"