I was in top football academy but I quit to pursue tennis dream – now I’m starring in Australian Open

FLAVIO COBOLLI dreamed of shining in Serie A for Roma.

But instead he is lighting up the Australian Open after switching sports as a teenager.

AFP

Flavio Cobolli secured his first Grand Slam win at the 2024 Australian Open[/caption]

instagram @ flavio_cobbo

He was in the Roma academy until aged 14[/caption]

Cobolli, 21, started playing tennis aged just two – following in the footsteps of his ex-professional father Stefano.

However, his sporting talent was clear to see as he also took up football and was good enough to join the Roma academy as a defender. 

At one point, he was playing football four days a week and tennis twice, and even scored in a youth derby against Lazio aged 11.

Cobolli was team-mates with midfielder Edoardo Bove – born ten days apart in May 2002 – and his best pal has kicked on to star under Jose Mourinho. 

However, Cobolli opted to turn his back on playing football aged 14 – with claims he preferred winning on his own.

He told Il Messaggero: “I was a full-back who ran a lot, but was fearful in tackling. 

“I always left the field with a clean outfit.”

Cobolli added: “If I stayed in that way, maybe now I’d be in Serie A.”

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It was certainly a risk to ditch a potential career for his beloved Roma – but Cobolli is reaping the rewards on the tennis circuit, already securing £600,000 in prize money. 

The former French Open boys’ doubles champion has two ATP Challenger Tour titles to his name and earned his debut win on the senior ATP Tour circuit as a wildcard in Italy in 2021.

Cobolli was part of Italy’s Junior Davis Cup team that reached the semi-finals in 2018 before losing to a Spanish team that included a 15-year-old Carlos Alcaraz.

Speaking of Alcaraz, the former footballer took on the Spanish sensation in his maiden Grand Slam main-draw match, in the first round at the 2023 French Open. 

‘Cobbo’ – who would have been a firefighter if a career in sport hadn’t worked out – then broke into the world’s top 100, hitting No95 in the rankings in October 2023 after qualifying for the French Open, Rome Masters and reaching the BMW Open quarter-finals in Munich. 

And he kickstarted his 2024 season in style by coming through three rounds of qualifying at the Australian Open – then stunned No18 seed Nicolas Jarry in five thrilling sets over four hours.

instagram @ flavio_cobbo

Cobolli is dating long-term girlfriend Matilde[/caption]

instagram @ flavio_cobbo

He regularly posts loving snaps of the pair on Instagram[/caption]

But though he may not pull on the famous carmine shirt for Roma these days, instead wearing his replica ‘Bove 52’ kit, Cobolli’s passion for I Giallorossi remains red hot.

He travelled to Tirana, Albania in May 2022 to watch Mourinho’s side beat Feyenoord 1-0 in the inaugural Conference League final. 

And Cobolli – who is dating glamorous long-term girlfriend Matilde – also has a Roma tattoo to further cement his permanent love of the Stadio Olimpico giants. 

Describing his dream dinner party and the perfect day, Cobolli told the ATP: “I will invite Daniele De Rossi, he’s a big football player in Rome. He’s my idol outside the court. 

“Also Cristiano Ronaldo and Novak Djokovic because I started to play tennis because of him and Fabio Fognini. I know Fabio, so I will choose Novak.

“I will sleep for a long time. Then I will hang out with my girlfriend. Play padel with my friends and play a football match. 

“Then I will go to the stadium to watch AS Roma. I am a big fan of AS Roma. I have a tattoo for them.

“My main sport outside of tennis is football, but I don’t like to watch tennis. So if I can choose between a tennis match and a football match, I would go to watch football.”

AFP

Hopes are high for Cobolli after focusing on tennis[/caption]

Getty

He represented Italy at the 2024 United Cup[/caption]

Cobolli broke into the world’s top 100 in October 2023AFP