Iga Swiatek, the four-time Roland Garros women’s singles champion, sent a light-hearted message to Italy’s Flavio Cobolli following his defeat in the 2026 French Open men’s final. The world No. 3 took to Instagram to congratulate Cobolli, while also playfully referencing a past exchange about a unique Polish dish.
Cobolli, ranked 14th at the start of the tournament, had a career-defining run to his maiden Grand Slam championship match. He ultimately fell to world No. 3 Alexander Zverev in a gruelling contest that lasted four hours and 16 minutes. Zverev triumphed with a final score of 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-1.
Cobolli’s breakthrough run to the final
The Italian’s journey to the final was marked by impressive victories, elevating him to a new career-high ranking of world No. 10. His path to the semi-finals included wins over:
- Andrea Pellegrino
- Wu Yibing
- Learner Tien
- Zachary Svajda
- Felix Auger-Aliassime
Cobolli then received a walkover to the final after his compatriot Matteo Arnaldi withdrew due to illness, setting up his clash with Zverev.
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The “strawberry pasta” origins
Swiatek’s message, “Congrats @flavio_cobbo. I guess you had the strawberry pasta after all,” was a nod to a memorable interaction between the two players at Wimbledon last year. During the tournament, Swiatek had openly expressed her fondness for “makaron z truskawkami,” a traditional Polish dish made with strawberries, pasta, and yogurt.
Cobolli, an Italian, found the combination rather unconventional and jokingly warned Swiatek about the potential backlash she might face in Italy. In an interview with Tennis Channel at the All England Club, Cobolli recounted their exchange:
“I talked with her yesterday. I told her, ‘What did (you do)? Now they want to try strawberry and pasta!’ I wouldn’t want to be in her position… I wish good luck for her when she comes back (to) Italy! She said yogurt on pasta… this is worse [than pineapple on pizza].”
While Cobolli was making headlines in the men’s draw, Swiatek, a six-time Grand Slam champion, had her own campaign at the 2026 French Open cut short. She was upset in the fourth round by Marta Kostyuk, losing 7-5, 6-1. Despite her early exit, Swiatek maintained her good humour, extending a friendly jibe to Cobolli after his monumental achievement.
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Sources: www.tennis365.com
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