Cobolli on UTS – “Something different, finally!”

The 30th-ranked Italian is excited to step away from the week-to-week grind of the ATP Tour for a special weekend of UTS in Guadalajara.

Flavio Cobolli, UTS Guadalajara 2025 | © Julien Nouet / Tennis Majors

Chris Oddo

February 14, 2025

The ATP Tour is amazing. It’s home to all the top male tennis players in the world, including 22-year-old Italian Flavio Cobolli, who has been rapidly rising up the rankings ever since he made his top-100 debut in October of 2023.

But it can be a never-ending grind.

That’s why Cobolli is excited to step away from the pressure-cooker and into the more chilled-out vibes of the UTS Tour for a week.

“I feel great because it’s something different, finally,” Cobolli told reporters on a balmy day in Guadalajara, ahead of his debut at the event that is the brainchild of Patrick Mouratoglou. “The Tour is fantastic but when you play something different, something new, with new rules and amazing players in a big stadium in a big city, for me it’s fantastic.”

Cobolli – “Il Gladiatore” – has been drawn into Group B with Tomas “The Air Machete” Machac, David “The Wall” Goffin and Jakub “Menimal” Mensik, and will play his first match against Machac on Friday evening at 6PM local time.

“He’s a great player, one of the best now in the world, especially on the hard court,” he said of facing Machac on his UTS debut. “I think it will be a tough match, but all of us we have a chance to beat anyone.”

He has high praise for the other players in Group B as well:

On Goffin: “He’s a big player, has been on the tour for many years, has been top-6 and has been one of the best in our sport, for me it’s a pleasure to play another match with him.”

On Mensik: “We have a great relationship outside the court, we are great friends – it’s gonna be fun to play against him.”

But there’s a player in Group A who Cobolli has even more respect for: Fabio Fognini. Cobolli grew up watching – and being entertained – by the former world No 9. He says he doesn’t watch much tennis on TV, unless Fognini is playing.

Cobolli was also asked to talk about himself on Thursday. He says, more than anything it’s his willingness to battle that defines his game.

I’m not the gladiotor for nothing

“I like to attack, I like to run, I like play the big points, but I’m not “The Gladiator” only in name, I also like to fight, I also like to never give up,” he said.

As the fifth highest-ranked Italian, Cobolli says he is proud to be a part of the greatest generation of men’s tennis that the country has ever seen. And he says having Jannik Sinner, the first Italian man to ever hold three major titles, at the top is inspiring for all.

“We are many in the top-100 now, we are all of us great friends, we are in a great moment now in Italy, and maybe it’s because Jannik is doing phenomenal things in the tour,” he said, adding: “He’s one of the best players that we ever had in Italy, maybe the best. Of course it’s a pleasure to have the chance to see him on the tour and to [learn from him].”