Cobolli's key to snapping losing run in Delray Beach: the power of The Hulk!

  • Posted: Feb 19, 2026

Flavio Cobolli, feeling like a superhero at the Delray Beach Open.

The third-seeded Italian celebrated his first ATP Tour win since 4 January on Wednesday by showing off his new tattoo to the crowd at the hard-court ATP 250 in Florida. Cobolli, who overcame Terence Atmane 7-5, 6-4, was quick to attribute his victory to the distinctive green character now inked into his right leg: The Hulk.

“In Davis Cup [last year], you remember I [ripped] my t-shirt, so now I have Hulk,” said the No. 20 in the PIF ATP Rankings Cobolli in his on-court interview. “It’s fresh, like two weeks old. I felt like Hulk on the court [then], so now I have to be like him!”

Cobolli’s shirt-shredding celebration that inspired the tattoo came after he saved seven match points and won a 32-point deciding-set tie-break to overcome Zizou Bergs and seal Italy a spot in November’s Davis Cup Final, which the European country subsequently won. He showcased that sort of on-court grit again against Atmane on Wednesday by bouncing back from four consecutive defeats to set a quarter-final meeting with Coleman Wong, who defeated Brandon Nakashima 6-4, 7-6(4).

“It’s my first win [for a while], so I’m really happy to be in the middle of the court,” said Cobolli after levelling his Lexus ATP Head2Head series with Atmane at 1-1. “It was tough, the beginning of the year, but now I’m really happy to be here at this fantastic tournament.

“It was a different result [to last time]. I lost to him last time with a great battle in Cincinnati. I practised well this week and felt comfortable staying on the court for a long time. I’m really happy how I managed this first round against a tough opponent like Terence.”

In other action, second seed Casper Ruud fought off a stern test from Marcos Giron, defeating the American 4-6, 7-6(6), 6-4. Giron will rue being two points from victory at 6/6 in the second-set tie-break.

Ruud then built upon his momentum by breaking the American’s serve in the opening game of the decider before sailing across the finish line. Playing in his first tournament since the Australian Open, the 27-year-old improved to 3-2 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series with Giron and will now look to extend his perfect 2-0 record against Sebastian Korda.

Ruud is making his first appearance at the ATP 250 in Delray Beach, where the Norwegian arrived just weeks after he and his fiancée Maria welcomed the birth of their first child, a daughter.

Korda defeated countryman Alex Michelsen 6-3, 7-6(6), saving four set points in the second set to avoid a decider and reach the last eight. The 25-year-old broke Michelsen at 4-5 in the second set, crucially getting back on serve after facing three set points in that game. Korda fended off another set point on return at 5/6 in the tie-break.

Korda, the No. 50 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, is the second man to reach three tour-level quarter-finals this season, alongside Ben Shelton. Korda reached the Delray Beach final in 2021.

 

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