Flavio Koboli has advanced to the French Open final after Matteo Arnaldi withdrew from their semifinal match due to a virus. The Italian players, who are close friends, were set to face each other for the first time in a Grand Slam semifinal.
Arnaldi, ranked 104th in the world, had never progressed beyond the fourth round in a Grand Slam before this tournament. He fell ill on Thursday night and experienced severe symptoms, leading to his withdrawal just 25 minutes before the match.
Koboli will face Germany's Alexander Zverev in the final on Sunday. The two Italian friends held a joint press conference shortly after Arnaldi's withdrawal, sitting at opposite ends of the table to avoid potential virus transmission.
