Tennis–Sweet dreams power Cobolli’s Wimbledon surge

Flavio Cobolli is living proof that, at Wimbledon, a good night’s sleep might be the ultimate performance enhancer. The 23-year-old Italian crashed into his first Grand Slam quarter-final on Monday with a fearless win over Marin Cilic and was quick to credit his new, improved lodgings for feeling great.

Cobolli, who has been wielding his fluorescent orange racket with the bravado of a man on a mission, revealed afterwards that his Wimbledon campaign nearly derailed over that classic London problem: the flat that just was not quite right.

“I had some problem with my first house but now I find the great solution. I slept well. I have a great relationship with the guy that I rent the apartment. Now I'm good shape,” he grinned.

Pressed for details, Cobolli confessed it was less luxury penthouse and more hot box at the start. “Was too hot and a little bit small. But yeah, now I found the right solution,” he explained, with a shrug that said it all. A quick switch, a friendly landlord, and suddenly Cobolli was sleeping soundly.

With the off-court drama sorted, the on-court heroics followed: Cobolli carved up Cilic in four sets, looking every inch the man at home in SW19. Sometimes all it takes to become a Wimbledon quarter-finalist is a bigger room, a cooler breeze —and a landlord who answers his phone.

(Editing by Clare Fallon)