Cobolli confident of bright future despite French Open final heartbreak

[p]The 24-year-old arrived at Roland Garros having never gone beyond the ‌quarter-finals of a major tournament and left it as a Grand Slam runner-up, his reputation transformed despite falling one ‌match short of the title.[/p][p][b]"Of course I have a very different level of self-belief ‌and awareness compared to when I started this tournament,"[/b] he told reporters after losing [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/cobolli-f-zDtaCcPe/zverev-a-dGbUhw9m/?mid=b94RLVkm"]6-1, 4-6, 6-4, ‌6-7(5), 6-1[/a].[/p][p][b]"But I think the goals are still the same."[/b][/p][p]Those goals now include qualifying ‌for the season-ending ATP Finals in Turin, a target Cobolli revealed had been set before the clay-court major began.[/p][p][b]"We've set ourselves a goal that I don't want to tell you yet ... actually, it's Turin. That has ‌been the objective since the start of the year,"[/b] said [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cobolli-flavio/zDtaCcPe/"]⁠Cobolli[/a], who moved up to fourth place in ‌the Race to Turin.[/p][embed guid="165d0639-6c6f-48f6-b0f9-ce45f81f07af" url="https://x.com/rolandgarros/status/2063688064099053625" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]"We're working to get there. It's very difficult because only eight players make it, ​but with the level I've shown over these weeks, and with all the work my team does behind the scenes, I'm sure I'll get there."[/b][/p][p]Cobolli came within touching ​distance of taking a two-sets-to-one lead but believes a missed opportunity late in the third set altered the course of the contest.[/p][p][b]"The biggest regret? Yes, that game at the end ⁠of the third set changed everything,"[/b] ​he said.[/p][p][b]"But, as I said before, I'm not used to this kind of pressure yet. I felt I was close, and in the important moments maybe I rushed a little. That's what hurt me. But you learn from those decisions."[/b][/p][p]The Italian had spent the previous fortnight playing with ‌freedom and confidence, but the magnitude of the occasion hit him from the moment he woke up on Sunday morning.[/p][p][b]"Yesterday I was nervous, but I handled it well and stuck to the routine we've followed for two weeks,"[/b] he said.[/p][p]"Today I woke up much more nervous than I expected. I had a huge knot in my stomach, something I don't usually have, and I had to fight that feeling all day.[/p][p][b]"You have to understand the pressure of a Grand Slam final, especially for someone who isn't used to playing matches like this."[/b][/p][embed guid="cfdf2661-8546-4850-9946-daca1407eadd" url="https://x.com/atptour/status/2063683346257903974" social-type="twitter" /][p]In true Italian style, he also paid tribute to his family, particularly his mother, who rarely travels ‌to tournaments but was present for the biggest match of his career.[/p][p][b]"My mother raised me,"[/b] ​Cobolli said.[/p][p][b]"She drove me everywhere, sat through every practice session and was always there ‌for me. She deserves to have been here."[/b][/p][p]As painful as the defeat was, Cobolli preferred to focus on what had been gained rather than what had slipped away.[/p][p][b]"At the end of the day they'll hug me because we've played a Grand Slam final, and nobody can take that away from us," [/b]he said.[/p][p][b]"As I said during the ceremony, ⁠this match has to be taken with ⁠a smile. We all gave everything. ‌I have no regrets, so I can be calm and keep moving forward."[/b][/p]