Flavio Cobolli and Stan Wawrinka embrace Shanghai fight. Bernardes' massive mistake

10/07/2024 07:02 PM

Flavio Cobolli and Stan Wawrinka played a high-quality match in the second round of the Shanghai Masters. The young Italian prevailed 6-7, 7-6, 6-3 after two and a half hours, setting the third-round encounter with the 24-time Major winner Novak Djokovic. Wawrinka battled against Flavio's father, Stefano, at the Brindisi Challenger 21 years ago, falling in three sets. Over two decades later, the veteran challenged Stefanos' sun, playing at a high level at 39 a couple of days after becoming the third-oldest winner of a Masters 1000 match. Stan gave everything to prevail, stealing the opening set after defending two set points before falling in the tie break of the second set. The chair umpire, Carlos Bernades, made a massive mistake in the second game of the final set, adding Stan's point to Flavio's tally and helping the Italian to grab the only break of the match and move over the top. Wawrinka blasted 17 aces and took charge behind the first serve.

Cobolli delivered more efficient numbers behind the second serve, denying all three break chances and securing that lone break from four opportunities. They fired 95 unreturned serve and stayed close to each other in that segment. Flavio landed 34 winners and 18 unforced errors, outplaying the rival's 33-33 ratio and moving over the top with that single break early in the decider. The Italian claimed more points in the shortest range up to four strokes and built another lead in the more advanced ones, moving through and setting the clash against his idol. The young gun made a reliable start, cracking a forehand down the line winner in the first game for a hold at love. The veteran mirrored that in game two, painting a forehand winner for a hold at love and 1-1. The better-ranked player produced another fine hold in the third game, drawing the rival's volley error and building another advantage. The Italian missed a chance to create a break point in the fourth game, and the Swiss closed it with a powerful serve for 2-2.

World no. 30 grabbed the fifth game with an unreturned serve before the veteran wrapped up the next one with a booming serve in just over a minute. Wawrinka stood no chance on the return in game seven while staying composed behind the initial shot, terminating the eighth with an unreturned serve for 4-4 after 25 minutes. Cobolli fell 30-0 behind in the ninth game before taking four straight points, closing it with a forehand winner and forging a 5-4 lead. The veteran served to stay in the set in the tenth game and secured it with a service winner for more drama. The 11th game offered the first deuces, and Flavio held after a forehand crosscourt winner, keeping his rival away from break chances. The Swiss cracked a forehand winner at 5-6, introducing a tie break. Cobolli painted a forehand down the line winner in the second point for a mini-break and forged a 4-1 lead. Wawrinka attacked in the eighth point and pulled the mini-break back with a backhand winner.

Uno de los mayores errores que he visto en el tenis 😳😳😳 Bernardes se equivoca al cantar el resultado (estaba distraído preguntando por algo) y coloca el 0-30 en lugar del 15-15. Cobolli rompió en ese juego con 30-40, que era en realidad 40-30 😨pic.twitter.com/eIfdTK6Q1p

— José Morón (@jmgmoron) October 7, 2024

He faced two set points at 4-6 and denied them with fine hitting, extending the battle and his chances. The three-time Major champion grabbed another mini-break at 6-6 and converted the first set point with an unreturned serve for a massive boost. Stan delivered five relaxing holds in the second set and reached a deuce on the return in games two and six. The Italian wasted a 40-15 lead in the second game before closing it after a deuce with a service winner. The 39-year-old held at love in game five with a service winner and drew another deuce on the return in the next one. Flavio kept his composure and brought it home with a backhand down the line winner, locking the result at 3-3. The returners barely saw a point in the next four games, with two rivals keeping their service games intact. Suddenly, Cobolli attacked on the return in the 11th game and generated three break points with a forced error. The more experienced player denied them with strong hitting, holding and hoping for more in the tie break.

The Italian kicked it off with a return winner and claimed two points on serve with winners for 3-0. The Swiss grabbed two points on serve at 2-5 to stay in touch before the young gun took two points on serve, landing a service winner at 6-5 and introducing a decider after an hour and 50 minutes. Cobolli held in the first game of the final set, and Carlos Bernardes gifted him the first point of the next game despite losing it. Flavio used the gift and broke at 15, earning the only return game of the match and moving 2-0 up. World no. 30 held after a deuce in game three and forged a 4-1 lead with a forehand winner two games later.

The Italian faced the ultimate challenge in the seventh game, offering his rival three break points after a forehand error. World no. 30 denied them with valiant hitting and closed the game with a service winner, delivering a crucial hold and moving 5-2 up. The veteran served to stay in the match in game eight and held after a deuce with a powerful serve. Cobolli served for the win at 5-3 and held at love with a cracking backhand down the line winner, beating one legend and arranging the clash against another on Tuesday.