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Flavio Cobolli has shared an update on the injury that caused his emotional retirement at the 2026 Vienna Open.
World No 6 Cobolli was forced to retire when trailing 2-5 in the first set of his second round match against Matteo Berrettini in Austria on Thursday.
The injury blow brought Cobolli to tears, and he was consoled by his Italian compatriot and close friend Berrettini.
After the retirement, Cobolli took to Instagram to write: “Vienna, I’m sorry to leave like this.
“I love this tournament and was really looking forward to facing Matteo with all of you in the stands.
“I felt something during my match the other night, but I wanted to give it a go. Today (Thursday) I realised I couldn’t keep going without pushing it too far, so I had to stop.
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“Those tears weren’t from pain. Just emotion, maybe a little stress, and the disappointment of having to leave the court when all I wanted was to stay out there.”
On Friday evening, Cobolli revealed he had suffered a “minor muscle strain” and explained he will try to compete at the Paris Masters, which begins on Monday.
“Today’s scans showed a minor muscle strain,” the 24-year-old wrote on his Instagram story.
“Tomorrow I’ll travel to Paris and do everything I can to play the tournament.
“I’m working with my team to get back to full fitness as soon as possible and be ready for the weeks ahead.”
The news that Cobolli’s injury is “minor” is encouraging after there were real concerns that his 2026 season could be over.
Cobolli is in with a strong chance of qualifying for next month’s ATP Finals as he currently occupies the fifth of eight qualification spots in the Race to Turin rankings.
The Italian is aiming to qualify for the prestigious season-ending championships for the first time in his career, and it would be a huge moment to play the event in his home country.
The French Open finalist has also been named in Italy’s squad for the 2026 Davis Cup Finals, which will be held in Bologna the week after the ATP Finals.