Flavio Cobolli thinks it is “absurd” to see some criticizing him back home over calling Carlos Alcaraz “the best player in the world” as the Italian tennis player highlights he has nothing but great respect for Jannik Sinner.
Although the world No. 32 didn’t compete at last week’s Laver Cup, he was an alternate in Berlin and sat on Team Europe’s bench. Even in that position, he was able to spend some time alongside some of the world’s top players and learn from them.
And after the third-ranked Spaniard earned a 6-4 6-4 win over Ben Shelton, the cameras picked up the message that the 22-year-old Italian had for the four-time Grand Slam champion.
“You are the best player in the world man, you should know it,” Cobolli told Alcaraz.
Flavio Cobolli and Carlos Alcaraz© YouTube screenshot
Cobolli received a backlash in Italy; Here is his response
To no one’s surprise, that particular statement didn’t sit well with some in Italy, considering that Sinner won two Grand Slams this year and that he is currently ranked at No. 1 in the world. But still, the world No. 32 doesn’t think he said anything wrong and he compared the two tennis stars to Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
“I don’t know what to say, I find it absurd what is happening in Italy, I think it’s absurd that I have to explain why I told Carlos Alcaraz that he is the best in the world: what should I say to someone who is top 2 in the world while I am top 30… it’s as if I were talking to Ronaldo, it’s not like I tell him that Messi is better. I have enormous respect for Jannik, I am his biggest fan, he also helped me a lot in Davis, I absolutely didn’t want to offend him. We need more respect for them, I don’t care about other people’s thoughts,” Cobolli told Dna da Tennis.