Flavio Cobolli defeated Alex De Minaur 7-5, 7-6, 6-3 on Monday to reach the quarter-finals at Wimbledon 2026 for the second consecutive year. The Italian, known for his quick feet and powerful forehand, overcame a mid-match surge from the Australian to secure victory on No. 1 Court.
Cobolli's Dominance
Cobolli, who saved a break point in the second set, broke De Minaur's serve twice in the third set to seal the match. De Minaur, who had been up 3-1 in the third set, faltered with two double faults in the seventh game, handing Cobolli the decisive break. Cobolli then served out the match, jumping for joy as he clinched it with an unreturned serve.
"I'm very happy to win in three sets," Cobolli said after the match. "This year is so hot, thanks for coming today and staying. There's a lot of respect for Alex." He added that he planned to celebrate with ice cream and pasta cooked by his father, and hoped to watch Spain vs Portugal later.
Paolini Overcomes Eala
On Centre Court, Jasmine Paolini battled past Filipino teenager Alexandra Eala 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 to reach her first grand slam quarter-final since the 2024 final here. Paolini, who had struggled with a foot injury earlier in the season, showed resilience after losing the second set.
"I played very few matches the last few months. But game by game, point by point, I was feeling better on these courts," Paolini said. "Sometimes with grass you can love it, you can hate it, but when it's going well it's the best surface to play on."
Eala, who had stunned Iga Swiatek in the previous round, received a standing ovation as she left the court. Paolini acknowledged the crowd and thanked Roger Federer, who was watching from the Royal Box, saying, "He's my idol, I was watching all the finals he played here, so it's an amazing feeling."
Other Results
Elise Mertens (25) beat Marie Bouzkova (21) 6-4, 6-4 to reach the quarter-finals for the first time after four previous fourth-round appearances. "The whole match was nerve-racking," Mertens said. "It was also difficult because it was windy, but I'm glad I was able to close out the match."
Marta Kostyuk (12) earlier defeated Ashlyn Krueger 6-4, 6-4 and will face Paolini in the quarter-finals. With top seeds Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, and Amanda Anisimova eliminated over the weekend, the women's draw has opened up.
Upcoming Matches
Following Paolini's win, Arthur Fery faces Grigor Dimitrov on Centre Court, while Madison Keys takes on Linda Noskova on No. 1 Court. Cobolli will face the winner of Fery vs Dimitrov in the quarter-finals.
