Cobolli Turns It Around Against Comesana: His First Comeback From Two Sets Down

Flavio Cobolli beat Francisco Comesana 3-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 in the US Open first round, in over four hours played under the closed roof of Louis Armstrong Stadium because of the rain in New York. It is Cobolli's first comeback from two sets down in his career.

Cobolli entered the draw as the number 5 seed, with a new career-high ranking of world number 6 behind him. Comesana, an Argentine ranked 119, took the first two sets against an opponent who looked flat and slow to react.

The third set put the match back on its feet. Cobolli saved six break points in the third game and did not drop another set from there, closing the fourth and the fifth on the same 6-4. In the second round he faces the winner between American Nishesh Basavareddy and Australian Tristan Schoolkate.

In the on-court interview Cobolli explained that he changed everything after the second set, kit included, to try to shift the momentum of the day. About his team he joked that they would call him an idiot, but that they were all proud of the choice. The gesture is worth what it is worth, but it describes a player who at 0-2 looked for a way out instead of simply taking it. As world number 6, in his opening match of the tournament, it was also the least that could be asked of him.