Roland Garros: Berrettini forced out through injury, Arnaldi in semifinal with Cobolli

After so much joy for our Azzurri, immense sorrow for Matteo Berrettini tonight at Roland Garros, who was forced to retire in his match with Matteo Arnaldi, who goes into the semifinals. Slumped in his chair at 2-5 in the second set after losing the first, Berrettini was left with no choice. At the start of the second set, a problem in his left leg had been noted for which, at 2-1, the Roman player called a medical timeout. But the adductor treatment was not enough. Even from the corner he was waved off. The embrace between the two was beautiful, after Arnaldi had invited the public to applaud the other Matteo, who was in despair.

It had begun as a challenge to the death, this derby. The duration of the first set says it all: an hour and a quarter that had rewarded the Ligurian player 7-5, at the end of a partial that had begun very badly for him. He was down 3-0, struggling to get to grips with Berrettini, but then, managing to respond to his service volleys and insisting on his opponent's backhand, he climbed back up to 4-3. For his part, the Roman, just on 3-4, held on, cancelling five break points, then on 6-5 for Arnaldi he had to surrender on the second set point. The impression was that, when the first did not come in, life became tough for Berrettini, who was also a little heavier in his movements.

Arnaldi, despite the marathons of the past few days, always appeared quick and ready for his extraordinary defences, which forced his opponent to always play an extra shot. But shortly afterwards, the drama: a break and counter-break in the opening of the second set, the medical timeout that caused immediate concern, the desperate attempt to go ahead despite the evidence. And the epilogue we never wanted to see.

Thus continues the adventure of the player from San Remo, who entered the tournament as world number 104. "It's tough. We both played a lot, so it's normal not to be at our best, but you never wish for anyone that their tournament ends like this. I hope Matteo recovers, the grass season starts soon and he's a tough opponent to face," he said in the post-match interview. 'I'm tired, that's for sure,' he added, 'but I train and play tennis to play these tournaments, these matches. I try to give my best. I was more tired than usual and I was not as fast as I thought in the first match. I got injured not so long ago, but now I'm giving everything I have.

Friday's all-Italian semifinal with Flavio Cobolli, who eliminated in four sets Auger-Aliassime.