[Saba Sports News] In the fourth round of the 2026 Wimbledon Gentlemen’s Singles, ninth seed and former Roland Garros runner-up Flavio Cobolli eliminated fifth seed Alex de Minaur with the scoreline 7-5, 7-6(4), 6-3, reaching the quarterfinals for the second consecutive year.
Elated after sealing victory, Cobolli shook hands with his opponent and the umpire before darting back onto the court to mimic Portuguese football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo’s iconic “Siu” celebration. During the post-match press conference, Cobolli shared his deep admiration for Ronaldo and his signature celebration. His Wimbledon match wrapped up just hours ahead of the World Cup Round of 16 clash between Portugal and Spain, and the Italian tennis star made a prescient quip: “I’ll be cheering for Portugal and Ronaldo in that game, but if they lose, don’t hold me responsible.”
As fate would have it, Spain struck a late winner to knock Portugal out of the tournament shortly afterward, drawing a curtain on Ronaldo’s sixth World Cup campaign.
In my view, Cobolli’s imitation of Ronaldo’s famous “Siu” celebration blends sincere tribute to his idol with lighthearted on-court humor. It showcased his charismatic personality, and the bizarre coinciding match result spawned an amusing narrative of an unintended “jinx”.