Flavio Cobolli enjoyed a great ride in 2025, cracking the top-20 and lifting two ATP trophies.
Now, the Italian shares the practice court with world no. 1 Carlos Alcaraz in Murcia ahead of 2026.
World no. 17 is getting an invaluable taste of life at the very top of the sport after sharing the court with the world's finest player. Like in 2023, Carlos and Flavio met in Murcia to train together and shape up their strokes ahead of the new season.
The two young guns have been blending fun with serious hitting, and the experience has left a strong impression on the Italian. Cobolli has noticed a rare quality that separates Alcaraz from everyone else.
The intensity, the rhythm and constant variation make sessions feel lighter, sharper and far more engaging that standard practice days with other players. In sunny Murcia, the pace never drops, and the energy never fades.
Also, the work feels purposeful from the first ball to the last, and Flavio enjoys that. He is absorbing knowledge simply by sharing the court with the six-time Major winner.
The learning curve is constant - whether through direct advice or by observing how Alcaraz moves and constructs points. Those are valuable lessons you can not get anywhere else.
With Carlos around, every rally carries a lesson, and every exchange reflects the habits of a player who sets the benchmark for the modern game. The Spaniard is building his game for another demanding season.
He will start it without Juan Carlos Ferrero in his box, and we will see how he will handle that fact in Melbourne. Before that, he is enjoying every minute of the court with his good friend.
"Two hours of training with Carlos feel like 20 minutes. When you train with any other player, it feels like two hours. Carlos is obviously giving me a lot of important advice, and even if he does not tell me, I learn from our sessions," Flavio Cobolli said.
