Cobolli survives a bagel opening to fight past Khachanov into the last 16

Italian ninth seed Flavio Cobolli recovered from the worst possible start to reach the fourth round of Wimbledon on Saturday, coming from two sets to one down to beat Russian 19th seed Karen Khachanov 0-6, 7-6 (4), 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-2 in a contest that swung wildly before he took command.

The Roland-Garros finalist could not have begun more poorly, surrendering the opening set for the loss of no games as Khachanov struck the ball cleanly and gave him nothing. Cobolli steadied himself to edge a tense second-set tie-break, only to lose a third that had been within his grasp, and found himself two sets to one down and in danger of an early exit. From there he was the stronger man, physically and mentally, running through the fourth and fifth sets for the loss of two games apiece to complete the turnaround.

It was the third time the 23-year-old has reached the last 16 of a Grand Slam, and a second successive year that he has done so at the All England Club.

Cobolli had reached the third round with wins over Australian James Duckworth (7-6 (4), 3-6, 7-6 (3), 6-1) and Argentinian Mariano Navone (1-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3, 7-6 (8)), the latter another recovery from a set down, form that suggested a player growing comfortable with adversity on grass.

Khachanov, ranked No 22, had come through against German Yannick Hanfmann (6-3, 6-4, 6-4) and Englishman Billy Harris (6-3, 5-7, 6-3, 6-3) to reach the third round, but could not sustain the level of his blistering start once Cobolli found his range.

Cobolli will next face Australian fifth seed Alex de Minaur, who has dropped only one set on his own run to the last 16, for a place in the quarter-finals.