BNP PARIBAS OPEN

March 14, 2026

Belinda Bencic

Flavio Cobolli

Press Conference

BENCIC-COBOLLI/Dabrowski-Glasspool

6-3, 2-6, 10-7

THE MODERATOR: Congratulations on winning the Mixed Doubles Invitational. Do you want to talk a little bit about how your experience was playing the event and coming out on top?

FLAVIO COBOLLI: First of all, we are really happy to have the chance to play together. We played an exhibition match in China this year. I mean, I felt some good vibes that maybe can help me also during the singles tournament.

Yeah, she asked me -- sorry if I say that --

BELINDA BENCIC: No, it's true.

FLAVIO COBOLLI: -- to play here, I was a little bit struggling with my wrist. So we wait maybe the last few minutes to sign. But at the end, my wrist was okay, and we played four amazing match together. She's always nice to me. Not like her daughter (smiling).

No, I'm really happy to have the chance to play with her another time here in Indian Wells. Is always a big stage, you know. So I can always improve something, and I can learn something from her. I tell her every day that she's a champion, and really happy if she continues like this, because she's playing unbelievable.

Of course she's gonna come back, for sure, on the top of the tennis on these kind of, you know, matches. Maybe Sunday, Saturday, and maybe she can fight again for this trophy.

BELINDA BENCIC: Thank you.

FLAVIO COBOLLI: That's it. Thank you. (Laughter.)

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Belinda, I know it was said in jest, but do you have any context to share about Flavio's comment about your daughter?

BELINDA BENCIC: No, no. I think he's winning over her heart very slowly. She's very skeptical, and I tell her not to talk to strange men, you know (laughter). Then I think in two days she will love him, because he's so good with kids.

Now she's in the age where she's very shy and she's very skeptical, but I can see that slowly he's winning over her heart.

Q. Flavio, at United Cup you sat on the bench while you watched Belinda win the title for Switzerland against Italy. Is it better to have her on your team this time?

FLAVIO COBOLLI: It's the only one time that I cheer for the opponent. I was lucky to have her in my part this time, because when it's in the opposite, I always scared, so I was lucky this time.

Q. How did you guys develop your chemistry so quickly? I watched some of your matches. Incredible tennis. Played really good doubles players as well, mixed teams.

BELINDA BENCIC: I honestly think it's either there or it isn't. Sometimes you have some great players pairing up, but just the chemistry isn't there.

So I think we felt this in China, we randomly got paired together to play the good Chinese team, and I think we felt immediately that we have great chemistry.

I feel like, I mean honestly, like, this tournament, I thought he was, like, absolutely on fire. He was just, yeah, doing everything. And today he played unbelievable and also under pressure and doing almost, I would say, all the work.

So, yeah, I think it's just nice that you have, also when you're not playing good or you know you're supporting each other, but then maybe also when we are playing, we know, okay, he goes this now, he does this, and without talking, we have maybe the same energy, I would say.

Yeah, it was really nice. I can learn a lot of things from Flavio. So it was really nice that he was warming up with me every day. I can see, you know, what he can do on the court. Just so talented. So I really hope he can become top 10 very soon.

Q. Flavio, you said that you learned many things throughout this tournament, playing with Belinda. Can you talk a little bit more about what specifically you learned or you improved?

FLAVIO COBOLLI: I mean, I saw what she does outside the court. She's another person. She's really kind. She's also a mom.

So when you see her on court, is completely different. She change the attitude, she change her face and the eyes are more on focus, you know.

So I miss that part on my game. So sometimes I cannot stay focused for a long time, but with her, it's another thing. I think I stayed focused for all the four match.

So it's also, because I saw her during the practice, we talk a lot with my dad about her tennis. For sure she can improve something also maybe from me. Also maybe we talk about how I move or something like that. But it's more thing that I improve from her that the opposite.

Q. You guys want to come back and defend this title? Also, do you think maybe you could play some mixed at a slam?

FLAVIO COBOLLI: I just ask this yesterday to her. Now she have a lot of requests. So I'm ready to stay with her since the end of her career.

BELINDA BENCIC: Wow.

FLAVIO COBOLLI: So, I mean, we'll see. For sure we enjoyed a lot this week, but of course, you know, we are single players, so we have the priority on that tournament.

But if we have a chance to play also the mixed, and if it's together, it's always nice.

BELINDA BENCIC: I mean, I agree. I would love to, of course. For sure, I love to play mixed doubles. I think it can help my game, as well.

Of course, yeah, we are focused on singles most of the time, but now I think the mixed competitions are done very nicely. Sometimes US Open, like, pretournaments, I think there is one in Rome now, so tournaments are really picking up on it and making it an interesting event, which I love. Yeah, I would love to play. Why not?