Both men were as aware as any left in the draw it was their greatest opportunity yet to press for a first Grand Slam title following the departures of world No.1 Jannik Sinner and 24-time major winner Novak Djokovic, as well as in the absence of Carlos Alcaraz.

With compatriots Matteo Berrettini and Matteo Arnaldi facing off for the chance to meet the 24-year-old in the last four, there was added cause for celebration.

Cobolli’s third win from as many meetings with the Canadian also secured his top-10 debut.

“I think we played two different matches today," Cobolli said. "The first set was incredibly windy, and it was really tough to play. I went to the toilet to think a bit to change something.

“I think this is the best score that I ever played in my life because I can play my best tennis. I just said to myself to fight because I felt like this is the chance of my life. I have to give everything in my matches, and today I did it, so I'm really happy.”

While Auger-Aliassime has continued to thrive at tour level, particularly indoors, there was no hiding the fact he had passed the second round just four times at the past 15 majors.

One of those, however, was a run to last year’s US Open semifinal and he had made no secret this week that his intention was to hoist the silverware at the end of this fortnight.

The No.4 seed managed the blustery conditions better to take the opening set and as the roof closed he went on to open up a 3-1 lead in the second.

Willed on by an expectant crowd, the Italian – who has thrilled spectators with his talent on court and his quips behind the microphone after his victories this week – began to find his feet.

The unforced errors that plagued him in the opening set were slashed in half and with confidence restored, he reeled off five of the next six games to level the match.

For all Auger-Aliassime’s best efforts, not even a scrambling-into-toe-trip clay-covered dive to successfully reach a drop shot could peg back the break at 3-4 in the third set.

And not even the Italian Tennis Federation president Angelo Binaghi’s presence was enough to shift Cobolli’s battle cry from “Vamos!” to “Forza!” as he stared down his team on his charge to the chair just one set from victory.

Where he had wavered with the finish line in sight against unheralded American Zach Svajda in the previous round, there were no such wobbles as he closed in on his biggest moment on Court Philippe-Chatrier.

“I tried to breathe on the changeover, don't watch my team, because I felt that they were more nervous than me,” he said.

“I think I did something different from the other. Just tried to stay calm and play my tennis. Today in the last game I think I played very good tennis with good serve and good first shot.”

There would be no deviation from his set-in-stone routines this week and an assurance the same approach would be fostered when facing one of his good friends next.

It was extraordinary, even to Cobolli heading into this year’s tournament, that none of the three Italians into the last eight would include world No.1 Jannik Sinner or No.11 Lorenzo Musetti.

“For sure it will be another derby, but I think we have to be happy for the Italian tennis,” he said. “Another Italian, apart from Sinner and Lorenzo, are in the final this week. So we have to be happy, and we have to enjoy that match.”