Berrettini, Arnaldi Relish Good Health and Improbable Runs in Paris

Matteo Berrettini and Matteo Arnaldi are two of the unlikeliest Roland-Garros quarterfinalists that we’ve seen in a while. Both have been mired in injury struggles – Berrettini perenially and Arnaldi of late – and both have overcome their issues to put forth monumental efforts in Paris.

Berrettini, who defeated Juan Manuel Cerundolo on Monday to reach the quarterfinals, and Arnaldi, who topped Frances Tiafoe in an epic five-setter on Monday night, will meet for a spot in the semis on Wednesday.

Arnaldi has battled through a foot injury and has recovered almost miraculously to reach the quarterfinals by playing over 17 hours in four matches.

“I was in a tunnel and I didn’t see the light,” he said of his struggles earlier this season. “Let’s put it this way. But then I started to feel little bit better. I went to Cagliari (in late April where he won a challenger title). I discovered that after three matches I was better with the foot, as well, it wasn’t that bad.

“From that, it was a start for me, even mentally, because [I said to myself] ‘I can play. It’s not unrealistic for me to play a match.’

1 – Three Italian players (Matteo Arnaldi, Matteo Berrettini and Flavio Cobolli) have reached the Men’s Singles quarter-final at a Grand Slam event for the first time in the Open Era. Musketeers.#RolandGarros | @rolandgarros @atptour pic.twitter.com/HVd3iqkEuc
— OptaAce (@OptaAce) June 1, 2026

“After that, I started to feel better. Then I found confidence again. I won a lot of matches in Rome, I won some good matches.”

It both makes sense and doesn’t make sense to Arnaldi, who is currently ranked 104 and went from last October to this May without a single tour-level win.

To be honest, I can’t even explain how I feel right now, because I don’t know – I played too much,” he said, referring to the 17 hours and 42 minutes he has spent on court to earn wins over Tallon Griekspoor, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Raphael Collignon and Frances Tiafoe (one hour and 58 minutes longer than any other player has taken to make the quarter-finals at any Grand Slam tournament since the ATP Tour began recording match times in 1991).

Monday night’s comeback from two sets down, which lasted five hours and 26 minutes, was particularly intense. I don’t know how I won today, to be honest. That’s the only thing I can say,” he said.

Berrettini’s struggles have been well chronicled. He’s been on and off the tour for years, suffering a multitude of heartbreaking injuries. The former Wimbledon champion hadn’t even been healthy enough to play in Paris since 2021, but here he is, into the quarterfinals again.

30, 42 – Matteo Berrettini (30 years 42 days at the start of the event) has become the oldest Italian in the Open Era to reach a Men's Singles quarter-final at a Grand Slam event. Renaissance.#RolandGarros | @rolandgarros @atptour pic.twitter.com/RsreucPobW
— OptaAce (@OptaAce) June 1, 2026

Ranked 105, Berrettini has missed five out of the last nine majors. He is the lowest-ranked player to reach the quarterfinals in Roland-Garros since 2007.

“I just proved to myself, once again, that I could do it, that even in the toughest moment, I just found the energy,” he said. “I was lucky enough to have people around me that helped me to find the kind of energy, to find the positive vibes, the positive thoughts, which is not easy to find when you’re in the darkness a little bit, when things are not coming your way, and you’re struggling just to hit few balls or just struggling to compete.”

With Arnaldi, Berrettini and also Flavio Cobolli in the last eight, it’s the first time in Grand Slam history that three Italian men have reached the last eight at the same event.

No matter who comes through, the dream has already been realized.