An incredible comeback at the US Open, the No. 5 seed declares: "I'm really crazy"

Flavio Cobolli achieved his first comeback victory after dropping the opening two sets, and then stirred up the US Open with an impromptu confession and a stylish gesture in front of the camera.

Flavio Cobolli produced the most remarkable comeback of the first round at the 2026 US Open. The fifth seed defeated Francisco Comesana 3-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 after four hours and 13 minutes of play.

Cobolli started with great difficulty and quickly lost the first two sets. The Italian player faced the risk of following in the footsteps of top seeds like Novak Djokovic and Arthur Fils by exiting the tournament in the first round, especially since his opponent was ranked only 119th in the world.

The turning point came after Cobolli left the court to use the restroom at the end of the second set. The 24-year-old decided to change his entire outfit because he believed the original set brought him bad luck.

"After losing two sets, I went to the bathroom and changed everything. Maybe the first outfit was unlucky, so I swapped all my clothes. And it really worked,"Cobolli revealed.

Returning to the court with a new look, the fifth seed also displayed a completely different spirit. He raised his intensity, won the third set 6-3, then took the fourth set 6-4 to force a deciding set.

Cobolli was once again pushed into a difficult position when he lost his serve in the fifth set. Nevertheless, the 2026 Roland Garros runner-updid not give up, broke back, and completed the comeback with a 6-4 win.

This was the first time in his career that Cobolli won after trailing by two sets. The Italian player knelt on the court, raised his arms in celebration as the crowd roared.

In the post-match interview, the host described Cobolli as a fun, energetic player who always brings strong emotions—qualities that are especially suited to the atmosphere in New York.

Cobolli immediately joked: "You forgot one important thing. I'm also really crazy."

The 24-year-old continued: "It's really fun to play on this court. I've always dreamed of being on such a stage and experiencing matches like this. Whenever I get the chance, I put my whole heart into the match. I'm a fighter, and today everyone saw that."

The atmosphere became even more cheerful when Cobolli suddenly looked up at the big screen and fixed his hair while the host was about to ask the final question. When told he looked great, the Italian player humorously blew a kiss to the camera.

Behind those spontaneous moments lies a formidable fighting spirit. Cobolli emphasized that in a Grand Slam, the match only truly ends after the last point. The encouragement from his coaching team was also key to helping him overcome a moment that seemed impossible to recover from.

Cobolli will face Nishesh Basavareddy or Tristan Schoolkate in the second round. With Jannik Sinner withdrawing due to injury, the 24-year-old becomes the top hope for Italian men's tennis at this year's US Open.

The draw has opened up for Cobolli as Novak Djokovic and Arthur Fils were both eliminated in the first round. The fifth seed therefore has a great opportunity to reach the second week at Flushing Meadows for the first time, although his thrilling opening match shows he still needs to improve significantly if he wants to go deep.