Matteo Arnaldi has reached a maiden grand slam semi-final after Matteo Berrettini was forced to retire with injury in their French Open matchup.

Arnaldi was 7-5 5-2 up before Berrettini could no longer continue on Court Philippe-Chatrier, with the former now facing another Italian in Flavio Cobolli in the last four.

Berrettini made a brilliant start to the semi-final, converting each of his first two break points to race into a 3-0 lead in the French capital.

However, Arnaldi responded by winning four consecutive games, while Berrettini saved five break points to stay on serve at 4-4.

Nevertheless, the pressure eventually told in the 12th game as Arnaldi broke again, this time to win the set.

The pair exchanged breaks early in the second before Arnaldi converted another break point in the sixth game, shortly before Berrettini could no longer run as he clutched his leg.

Arnaldi keeps pushing against all odds

World number 104 Arnaldi has become the lowest-ranked player to reach the men’s singles semi-final at Roland-Garros since Filip Dewulf (122) in 1997.

Arnaldi could become the first player ranked outside the ATP top 100 to reach the men’s singles final at Roland-Garros since the rankings were first published in 1973.

He is also just the second player in the Open Era to win a men’s singles quarter-final at the French Open via retirement, after Rafael Nadal (2006 and 2017).

Nevertheless, Arnaldi will not be bothered by how he has reached the last four, knowing the dream of winning a grand slam is now well within his sights.

Since 2000, three players (Arnaldi, Cobolli and Jakub Mensik) have reached a maiden grand slam semi-final at the same event for just the third time after Roland-Garros in 2005 and the US Open in 2022.

Although world number three Alexander Zverev is favourite to win the competition, the German has also yet to get over the line in a grand slam, leaving the door wide open for Arnaldi, Cobolli and Mensik.