Young Italian star Flavio Cobolli was knocked out of Wimbledon on Wednesday by Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon quarter-finals.
The Italian produced a stunning campaign at SW19, beating the likes of Marin Cilic and Jakub Mensik on his way to the quarter-final stage.
However, Djokovic proved too strong for the 22-year-old, winning 6-7 6-2 7-5 6-4.
Cobolli, who described Djokovic as his ‘idol,’ spoke of what he believed he ‘deserved’ during the match against the 24-time Grand Slam champion.
Flavio Cobolli says he ‘deserved’ a fifth set against Novak Djokovic
Speaking during his post-match press conference on Wednesday, Cobolli was candid about his attitude and performance during his first appearance on Centre Court.
He said: “I think I’ve played very well. I am very proud of my attitude on the court.
“It has not been easy to play on the Centre Court for the first time. The first set I played, I think in my life I played like this.
“I’ve done a great job getting here. I left everything on the court. I’m happy with my tournament and my level.”
Despite his positive reflection on his performance, the Italian felt his on-court play warranted a fifth set against the Serbian star.
Cobolli added: “I’m a little sad because I think I deserved a fifth set, but the tournament has been very positive. I need to recover now for the American tour.”
Flavio Cobolli compares himself to Carlos Alcaraz
Speaking at the same press conference, Cobolli took the time to share some similarities between himself and two-time defending Wimbledon champion, Carlos Alcaraz.
He said: “That’s my game. I like the highlights, a bit like Carlitos (Alcaraz), but the important thing is not how you play, but winning it.
“Even so, I’m proud of myself.”
Meanwhile, Cobolli’s conqueror, Novak Djokovic, faces world number one in the semi-finals of the Wimbledon men’s singles tournament. Alcaraz faces fifth seed Taylor Fritz.
Cobolli will move on to focus on the American hard-court swing, with one eye on the US Open. The Italian will be hoping to build upon his excellent Wimbledon campaign and go even further at the calendar’s last Grand Slam.
