Indian Wells champion unable to lift trophy after | Sports News

Indian Wells champion Flavio Cobolli swiftly despatched social media into a tailspin after struggling to lift the match’s iconic Baccarat trophy.

Alongside Belinda Bencic, Cobolli emerged victorious within the BNP Paribas Open Mixed Doubles Invitational upon taking down Gabriela Dabrowski and Lloyd Glasspool, 6-3, 2-6, 10-7. On the heels of the dominant efficiency, the pair arrived at a post-match press convention the place the Baccarat trophy awaited them.

As Cobolli tried to lift the bodily award off the desk, the 23-year-old shortly found that it was far heavier than anticipated. He promptly set free an audible grunt and exclaimed, “Oh s—” in Spanish, drawing a spherical of laughs from the reporters readily available.

Taking to social media, droves of viewers couldn’t help however poke enjoyable on the hilarious incident. “He is 2 seconds old … the trophy is too heavy for him,” one X consumer wrote, with one other including: “So Iga has more arm strength that Flavio?”

In Cobolli’s protection, the Italian quickly revealed that he was scuffling with a wrist harm main up to the Indian Wells — with the health setback almost throwing his title run with Bencic in jeopardy.

“I was a little bit struggling with my wrist,” Cobolli stated. “So we wait maybe the last few minutes to sign. But at the end, my wrist was okay, and we played four amazing matches together. She’s always nice to me. Not like her daughter (smiling).

“No, I’m really happy to have the chance to play with her another time here in Indian Wells. It is always a big stage, you know. So I can always improve something, and I can learn something from her. I tell her every day that she’s a champion, and really happy if she continues like this, because she’s playing unbelievable. Of course she’s gonna come back, for sure, on top of the tennis [world] on these … matches. Maybe Sunday, Saturday, and maybe she can fight again for this trophy.”

Prior to the Indian Wells, Cobolli joined forces with Bencic at an exhibition in China earlier this yr. Since teaming up with the 29-year-old, he’s acknowledged the need to develop into more “focused” in his singles profession.

“I mean, I saw what she does outside the court,” Cobolli stated. “She’s another person. She’s really kind. She’s also a mom. So when you see her on court, is completely different. She change the attitude, she changes her face and the eyes are more on focus, you know. So I miss that part on my game. So sometimes I cannot stay focused for a long time, but with her, it’s another thing. I think I stayed focused for all the four match.

“So it’s also, because I saw her during the practice, we talk a lot with my dad about her tennis. For sure she can improve something also maybe from me. Also maybe we talk about how I move or something like that. But it’s more thing that I improve from her that the opposite.”