Following his emotional semifinal upset of Alexander Zverev, Flavio Cobolli fell 6-2, 7-5 to Ben Shelton in the BMW Open by Bitpanda final in Munich. The Italian runner-up lightened the mood with a playful jab at girlfriend Matilde Galli during his speech.
Shelton claimed his second ATP 500 title of 2026, his fifth career trophy, and the first American clay-court win above ATP 250 level in 24 years. The victory netted 500 ranking points, $563,347, and a BMW iX3 car. Cobolli, chasing a fourth career title after Bucharest and Hamburg wins, had pushed through a tough week amid personal grief (see prior coverage of his semifinal dedication). In his on-court speech, Cobolli quipped to his team: “Thank you to my team. I hate you guys most of the time, but I also love you.” Spotting Galli in the stands, he added: “I called yesterday my girlfriend. I said, ‘Please don’t let me lose,’ but she does so… maybe next time you stay home.” The crowd laughed, with the moment shared via Tennis TV on April 19. The low-profile couple, together since around 2021, has appeared at events like the Italian Open and Wimbledon. Social media offers rare insights, such as a 2022 birthday post and Tanzania trip. Both players now eye the Madrid Open, amid withdrawals from stars like Alcaraz, Djokovic, Tiafoe, Fritz, and Rune.
