Cobolli kept his cool and kept the Acapulco trophy chase very much alive.
The Italian rode grit and timely serving past Wu Yibing and later Miomir Kecmanovic, turning two dramatic wins into a ticket to the Abierto Mexicano Telcel final where a surge up the rankings is still on the table.
Cobolli Survives Tight Tests To Reach Final
We played an incredible match,
Flavio Cobolli
Cobolli opened his Mexican week by beating Wu Yibing 7-6(4), 6-1, saving the pressure moments and showing better ball striking when it mattered most, according to match reports and court-side statistics from the tournament.
Against Wu the 23-year-old converted pressure into calm, saving 8 break points overall and digging out of multiple 15/40 holes late in the second set to close a one hour and thirty-five minute contest.
Even with a pedestrian first-serve percentage, Cobolli won a crushing share of those points, taking 83% of points behind his first delivery and making just under half his first serves at 49%.
From Semis To Final: The Late Drama Against Kecmanovic
The semifinal versus Miomir Kecmanovic pushed Cobolli to another level of resilience in a three-set, two hour and twenty-six minute battle where he trailed 1-3 in the decider before seizing momentum and rattling off the crucial games.
He escaped a potential swing at 3-3 in the third set by producing back-to-back serve plus-one forehand winners, then faltered while serving for the match at 5-3 before responding immediately to clinch victory on a second match point.
“I’m really happy to be in the final for the first time here in Mexico,” Cobolli said after the win, acknowledging luck at the key moments and praising the quality of the contest he and Kecmanovic produced.
The run represents a string of form for Cobolli, who reached the semis in Delray Beach the week prior and is now one win away from claiming his third tour-level title, or at least a big career boost in the PIF ATP Rankings.
History, Stakes And What Comes Next
Cobolli is the third Italian to reach three ATP 500 finals since that tier began in 2009, joining Jannik Sinner, who has reached 9, and Fabio Fognini, who reached 3, putting him in notable company among his countrymen.
The fifth seed and highest-ranked player remaining at No. 20 could overtake his career best and push past No. 17 in the PIF ATP Rankings should he lift the trophy in Acapulco later this week.
He will face an American in the final, either Frances Tiafoe or Brandon Nakashima, and the matchup will test his serve-and-rally instincts against contrasting pace and power from the other side of the net.
Cobolli also plans to double up on the court this week, partnering Grigor Dimitrov in doubles, a scheduling quirk that shows he is comfortable juggling extra minutes as long as the results keep coming his way.
His trajectory this fortnight underlines a developing maturity: staying positive when not playing his best, tightening up at crucial points, and turning small margins into winning outcomes against formidable opponents.
My Tennis Expert believes Cobolli’s combination of aggressive shotmaking and late-match composure has shifted him from a promising prospect into a consistent tour-level threat who can challenge top-ranked opponents on hard courts.
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Christoph Friedrich is a German tennis player and coach currently residing in Oakland, California. He began his tennis journey at the age of eight and has since dedicated his life to the sport. After working as a tennis coach and hitting partner in New York City for eight years, Christoph decided to share his knowledge and experience with tennis players around the world by creating the My Tennis Expert blog. His goal is to make tennis education accessible to everyone and help players select the best equipment for their game, from racquets and strings to shoes and overgrips. Christoph's extensive research and expertise in tennis technology make him a valuable resource for players of all levels.
