John McEnroe questions Flavio Cobolli decision to hold joint-press conference with ill Matteo Arnaldi after French Open semi-final withdrawal

John McEnroe says Matteo Arnaldi’s withdrawal from the French Open semi-finals owing to illness ”sucks” and questioned whether it was wise for Flavio Cobolli to do a press conference alongside him.

Arnaldi pulled out of the Grand Slam before facing fellow Italian Cobolli having become sick overnight. He also said he had a fever and was not able to eat or drink.

Arnaldi and Cobolli are close friends and both spoke at the same press conference shortly after the former's decision to withdraw was announced.

Although they sat several metres apart at separate ends of the media stand, TNT Sports expert McEnroe said: ”If Arnaldi is here and doing a press conference, why is Cobolli so close to him? If he is sick and has a virus you wouldn’t want to catch it.”

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Arnaldi had spent 19 hours and 42 minutes on court in Paris, the longest anyone had played to reach this stage of a Grand Slam since 1991.

In the last 16 he fought back to beat Frances Tiafoe in five hours and 26 minutes.

Although he said he was ”feeling actually very good” physically aside from his illness, McEnroe thinks the time spent on court eventually ”caught up with him”.

”It sucks, that’s the bottom line," McEnroe added.

"I’m no doctor but I think it caught up with him. The guy had played more tennis to get to the semis than anyone had ever played in this event. Combine that with some nerves and some bad luck, or the wrong food.

”I was amazed that Arnaldi bounced back as well as he did after the [Frances] Tiafoe match to be honest. He played five-and-a-half hours. He played a couple of marathon matches.”

• Cobolli into final after Arnaldi withdraws with illness
• Cobolli 'amost cried' after hearing about Arnaldi withdrawal

'I almost cried!' - Cobolli reacts to shock news of Arnaldi retiring from semi-final

Video credit: TNT Sports

Cobolli will face second seed Alexander Zverev in the final after he beat Jakub Mensik in four sets in the semi-finals.

Cobolli said he ”almost cried” when he found out from Arnaldi that he would not be able to play their match.

TNT Sports expert Tim Henman also said he was sad to hear the news after Arnaldi had shown such spirit to reach the last four.

”Against Tiafoe he was down two sets to one, a double break, then Tiafoe was up 5-4 serving for the match, and his spirit, he has worked and fought so hard to put himself in this position. 

”This is the moment of his life, to get into this position, and all of a sudden he has had a terrible night and feels dreadful and doesn’t have the opportunity to go on the court. We have had so many highlights this tournament and this is a big lowlight.”

Henman added that Cobolli has to quickly move and start to focus on Sunday’s final against Zverev.

”It’s so disappointing for Arnaldi, and for Cobolli he has to accept it and not dwell on it," Henman added.

”He has to move on quickly and start focusing on his opportunity in the final.”

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