By Richard Pagliaro | Tuesday, September 1, 2026
Photo credit: Jeff Dean/USTA
Marathon man Flavio Cobolli showed a spirited closing kick in his first comeback win from a two-set deficit.
Battling back from the brink, Cobolli threw it all at Francisco Comesana roaring back for a 3-6, 2-6, 6-3 6-4, 6-4 victory to scrape into the US Open third round for the third year in a row.
It is Cobolli’s first comeback from a two-set hole as he improved to 5-3 lifetime in five-setters, including a 3-0 mark in five-set matches at the US Open.
An opportunistic Cobolli converted six of 18 break-point chances.
“Thanks to everybody for helping me on this incredible comeback,” Cobolli said in his on-court interview. “After two sets down I went to the toilet and changed everything.
“Maybe everything unlucky I changed everything. In a Grand Slam, it’s never done. You have to fight for every point. Maybe it’s the key.”
Cobolli put his toot down in the final set and celebrated removing his On sneaker and handing the shoe souvenir to a young fan wearing a red shirt who was repeatedly screaming “Flavio! Flavio!” in an effort to get the Italian’s attention.
Even if he played barefoot, Cobolli would be a tough out in majors.
French Open finalist Cobolli scored his 10th Grand Slam win of the season joining Roland Garros champion Alexander Zverev, Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic and Jakub Mensik as the fifth man to post 10 or more major wins this year.
The fifth-seeded Cobolli will play a qualifier, either Tristan Schoolkate or Nishesh Basavareddy for a place in the Flushing Meadows third round.
It’s the second time this season Comesana came very close to knocking out an Italian former major finalist only to fall frustratingly short.
Former Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini saved two match points edging Comesana in a five hour, 13-minute epic at Roland Garros. The world No. 105 Berrettini went on to become the lowest-ranked men’s Roland Garros quarterfinalist since Russian Igor Andreev in 2007.
The Argentinean was gaining the edge in forehand exchanges building that two set lead in a rainy start that force the retractable roof over Armstrong Stadium closed.
Comesana broke for a 6-3, 2-1 lead. The Argentinean worked through a challenge hold at 30 to back up the break for 3-1.
Prevailing in forehand exchanges, Comesana gained triple break point in the seventh game.
Reading the wide serve, Comesana cranked a deep forehand return. Pushed to respond off his back foot, Cobolli flailed a forehand long as the world No. 119 broke for the fourth time extending his lead to 5-2.
Surprising the Italian with a second-serve ace down the T, Comesana claimed a two-set lead after 88 minutes of play.
Both men left the court for a clothing change.
When play resumed Comesana danced around his backhand and lasered a diagonal forehand for double break point in the early stages of the third set.
The Italian Davis Cup hero landed a pair of twisting first serves to dodge the dilemma then hammered a forehand down the line holding for 2-1.
That stand sparked Cobolli, who broke for 3-1 on the strength of some penetrating forehands. Cobolli saved a break point with an aggressive net attack then worked through a three-deuce game to confirm the break for 4-1.
Credit Comesana for erasing four set points in the longest game of the set as he held for 3-5. Empowered, Comesana flattened a forehand drive down the line for Love-30 in the ninth game. Staring down another break point, Cobolli threw down a 129 mph serve wide to save it. Comesana induced a netted forehand for a second break point. Cobolli saved it again then curled a crosscourt winner to convert his sixth set point.
Waving his arms, Cobolli exhorted Armstrong Stadium fans to make more noise as he forced a fourth set.
Taking the third set enabled Cobolli to play more freely in the early stages of the fourth. Forcing Comesana back behind the baseline at times with deep forehands, Cobolli coaxed the error breaking to start the fourth set.
Playing with more emotional fire and energy, Cobolli broke twice in the fourth set.
The fifth seed smacked his fourth ace out wide to force a final set after three hours, 13 minutes of play.
Resetting, Comesana cranked up the pace on a forehand down the line. Cobolli got to the ball but could not control his backhand reply as the man from Mar del Plata broke with a clenched fist for a 2-0 lead. Cobolli came right back to carve out the love break in the third game.
A sweaty seventh game waged on until Comesana came through a gripping hold to edge ahead 4-3.
Putting pressure on his opponent with some down the line strikes, Cobolli earned double break point in the ninth game. On the second break point, Cobolli smacked a forehand return right back down the middle rattling out an error to break for 5-4.
Serving for the second round, Cobolli double faulted to face two break points. Cobolli saved both then finished with a flourish following a wide serve and whipping a forehand drive volley winner to close a four hour, 13 minute triumph.
“It’s really fun to play on this court,” Cobolli said. “I always dreamed to play on this kind of stage this kind of match. So every time I have a chance to play on this court I put my heart on the court. I am like this. I am a warrior and today everybody [saw].”
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