Cobolli, winner of his first top 10 after Rune's retirement: "It's never easy when you know your opponent is injured"

This Friday, Flavio Cobolli secured a victory against one of the in-form players of recent weeks. The Italian took advantage of Holger Rune's retirement after the first set (6-2 ret.) and, in doing so, claimed his first career win against a top 10 player.

The world No. 9 had recently reached the final of the Indian Wells Masters 1000 before defeating Carlos Alcaraz in the final to triumph in Barcelona just days ago. However, hindered by knee pain during warm-up, Rune threw in the towel.

"It's never easy when you know your opponent is injured. The first few games were tough—I was ready to run for hours and stay proactive on the court.

I wish him good luck in Rome and Roland Garros, and I hope he recovers soon. Last week, he beat Alcaraz in what was one of his best clay-court performances. I’m happy to be here, and we’ll see what happens on Sunday.

I’ve started playing at my level again. Now I’m feeling good—I had a rough patch after two injuries during preseason and in Australia. It’s tough to play when dealing with something you can’t control.

But I’m happy to be back at my best on clay. When I’m in this form, I believe I can even challenge Rune’s level," said Cobolli, who will face Brandon Nakashima in the next round.