Updated 19.01 | Published 18.58
Matteo Arnaldi, 25, was up last night throwing up.
The scarecrow in the French Open was forced to withdraw his bid to the semi-finals at short notice.
– At seven this morning I vomited heavily, he says at a press conference.
Arnaldi is ranked 104 in the world and was one win away from reaching his first grand slam final.
But just minutes before the match against his Italian compatriot Flavio Cobolli, the news came that Arnaldi withdrew – and thousands of spectators had to leave the arena in Paris.
– It is difficult to be here. It’s not what I wanted. Last night I started to feel sick after dinner and started to have a stomach ache. I woke up at one o’clock last night and threw up. Then I tried to sleep and I couldn’t sleep at all, says Arnaldi at a press conference.
Spitting a lot
He continues talking and just a few meters next to him sits Cobolli – despite Arnaldi’s stories about the stomach problems.
– At seven in the morning I vomited profusely. We called the doctor to the room and he gave me some things. I had hoped it would be something from the food, but during the day I couldn’t drink or eat, and then I went back to the bathroom. It’s hard. Pulling out of your first semi-final is not something you wish on anyone, but it was the right decision.
In the final, Cobolli, ranked 14 in the world, and German world number three Alexander Zverev will meet.
