Flavio Cobolli produced another display of resilience at the Cincinnati Open, recovering from a slow start and a barrage of errors to defeat in-form teenager Rafael Jodar 4-6, 7-6(3), 6-3 and reach the quarter-finals.
The Italian appeared to be in serious trouble after dropping the opening set and struggling to find his rhythm. He committed 42 unforced errors across the first two sets, but continued to fight as Jodar looked increasingly close to securing another deep run.
“I just told myself to believe, to fight on every point, and I knew I would get a chance,” Cobolli said after the match.
That belief eventually paid off. Cobolli raised his level in the second-set tie-break, taking it 7-3 to force a decider before maintaining the pressure in the final set. After two and a half hours of battle, he completed the comeback and secured his second career Masters 1000 quarter-final.
Jodar had entered Cincinnati in outstanding form. The 19-year-old was among the ATP Tour's leading winners in 2026 and had been targeting his eighth quarter-final appearance in his previous nine tournaments.
His run finally came to an end against Cobolli, but Jodar's season remains one of the biggest breakthrough stories on tour. He owns a 36-14 record in 2026 and currently sits seventh in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, keeping him firmly in contention for a place at the year-end ATP Finals.
Cobolli, meanwhile, continues to build one of the strongest seasons of his career. The 24-year-old has already reached his first Grand Slam final at Roland Garros, where he lost to Alexander Zverev, won his third ATP Tour title in Acapulco and reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals.
His consistency has also lifted him to fourth in the Live Race To Turin, putting him in a strong position to qualify for the prestigious season-ending tournament for the first time.
The Cincinnati run has further underlined Cobolli's ability to survive difficult matches. His victory over Jodar was his third consecutive three-set win at the tournament, highlighting the Italian's growing confidence in high-pressure situations.
However, another major test awaits in the quarter-finals. Cobolli will face American home favourite Tommy Paul, who advanced by producing a stunning comeback of his own against top seed Alexander Zverev.
Paul saved a match point on his way to recovering from a set and a break down against Zverev, setting up an intriguing meeting between two players who have shown remarkable resilience throughout the tournament.
With both Cobolli and Paul coming through dramatic three-set battles, their quarter-final promises to be another closely fought contest as they fight for a place in the Cincinnati semi-finals.
