«I would have been a football player like Florenzi» - Interview with Flavio Cobolli A chat about AS Roma, tattoos and fashion
The first two ATP titles won in Bucharest and Hamburg. His best result ever in a Slam with the quarterfinals reached at Wimbledon, where he also faced his idol Novak Djokovic on Centre Court. The derby with his friend Lorenzo Musetti at the US Open. There are many reasons why Flavio Cobolli will not easily forget 2025, the year that definitively projected him into the elite of world tennis.
Yet, when we meet him at the Park Tennis Training in Genoa as part of an initiative organized by Pulsee Luce e Gas, he doesn’t seem like the tennis player who managed to reach number 17 in the ATP rankings. But rather a 23-year-old guy enjoying the moment and chatting with us effortlessly about his passions: AS Roma, tattoos, and fashion.
Off the court, which look do you prefer? Describe an outfit for a night out with friends.
"It depends on the day. I can be very preppy or very casual. I definitely like to dress a bit oversized. I like being comfortable. I know how to balance or dress differently depending on what I have to do."
Did you ever imagine that you would one day be facing Lorenzo Musetti at the US Open?
"We thought about it because, after all, we are two young guys who had shared many moments together before this US Open, we spent a lot of time together. We did almost everything together. We expected it could happen."
Let’s go back to Wimbledon: quarterfinals on Centre Court against Novak Djokovic, your idol. Give us a Top 3 of your all-time favorite players.
"Novak Djokovic. Fabio Fognini. Lorenzo Musetti."
Another passion of yours is AS Roma: which jersey do you like most among this year’s?
"I’ve already got all three, the one that suits me best is the white one. It reminds me of the district where I was born, Parioli, which is white and green."
And what is your favorite logo?
"This one (points to the Lupetto tattoo, ed.)."
Can you give us a timeline of all the tattoos you’ve had done?
"I have 30 by now and it’s hard. I tattooed the phrase that was on De Rossi’s captain’s armband (‘You are my only bride, you are my only love,’ ed.), the Lupetto, on my leg a choreography. They’re all kind of strange and random tattoos because I wake up and go get one. I’m not someone who imagines them and thinks about them for hours. I’m a bit weird."
Tell us about your friendship with Edoardo Bove, you even have a tattoo to celebrate this bond.
"The most important one of all. We are very close friends, we’ve been connected since we were kids and he’s a person who is very important to me, to my career, and to my future because he’s someone I admire, someone I love, and I’m glad he’s with me."
What position did you play in AS Roma’s youth teams and what role do you think you would have played if you had continued?
"I started high on the right and then moved a bit further back but I would definitely have been on the right wing. Like Florenzi, a fairly versatile player."
Who would you choose between De Rossi and Totti?
"Both. De Rossi was my football idol and Totti the legend of my favorite team."
