The most anticipated semifinal of the men''s draw never took place. Matteo Arnaldi, struck down by a viral illness, withdrew just minutes before stepping onto Court Philippe-Chatrier, handing Flavio Cobolli a place in the 2026 Roland Garros final via walkover.

Arnaldi, ranked 104th in the world, had produced a heroic run through the draw. Five wins across five rounds, 19 hours and 42 minutes spent on court: the longest path to a Grand Slam semifinal since the ATP began tracking match times in 1991. But a night of fever and repeated vomiting brought it all crashing down. "I could not sleep at all," the Italian told reporters, unable to eat, drink or even stand on Friday morning.

On the other side of the net, Cobolli learned of the withdrawal an hour before the scheduled match. The 24-year-old Roman, seeded 10th, did not hide his emotion: "When they came to me almost an hour ago, I almost cried. It''s something you don''t expect." He added, with a thought for his compatriot: "Matteo is a big inspiration for all of us. He''s an amazing player, and outside the court, I think he''s one of the best."

Cobolli will contest his maiden Grand Slam final on Sunday against Alexander Zverev, who defeated Jakub Mensik in four sets (7-5, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3). The world number 14 has dropped only two sets across five matches in Paris and will benefit from three days of rest before the historic encounter.

It is the first time since 2010 that a player has reached a Grand Slam final via walkover. For Arnaldi, the Parisian dream ends in the cruellest fashion, just steps away from the biggest match of his career.