At Roland-Garros,
If the veteran Fabio Fognini, fell Friday in the third round, surprised by the Argentinian Fabio Fognini in three sets, the Italians are (still) at the party during these French Open.
In 2020, at Roland Garros, five Azzurri slipped into the third round.
Which was a first since 1955 and a record in the Open era.
Jannik Sinner had continued the adventure until the quarterfinals.
Same song this year with five Azzuri in the third round, including four in contention this Saturday.
In the footsteps of Nicola Pietrangeli (1959 and 1960) and Adriano Panatta (1976), the last transalpine winners at Porte d'Auteuil.
Marco Cecchinato challenges prodigy Lorenzo Musetti
One thing is certain, there will already be an Italian in the round of 16. Cecchinato - Musetti is a fight between generations between Cecchinato, 28, and the prodigy Musetti, 18. The Palermo Cecchinato, then 72nd in the world, had climbed to the semifinals of the 2018 edition, knocking down Novak Djokovic in the process. He has never made a Grand Slam round at the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the US Open anywhere else! At Roland Garros, in addition to his brilliance, he reached the third round last year. He can do better in 2021, even if he doesn't start as a favorite against 2019 Junior Australian Open winner Lorenzo Musetti. Coming out of qualifying in Rome in 2020, Musetti won his first two matches on the big circuit against Stan Wawrinka and Kei Nishikori. Since,the native of Carrara entered the top 100 and for his first Grand Slam tournament, has already reached the third round. Not the last, of course.
Jannik Sinner can see far
Already announced as a future world number 1, the former skier suffered martyrdom to get rid in five sets of the obstacle Pierre-Hugues Herbert in the 1st while erasing a match point. He left another set on the way to the next round against his compatriot Gianluca Mager. He assures us to gain momentum: “Today, I think my level of tennis improved between the first round and the second round. Maybe that's a big word but of course it gave me a boost and I'm here to play the third round and I don't think back anymore. I try to raise my level, to improve myself day after day. " It will be Saturday against the Swede Mikael Ymer. First player born in the 21st century to win a tournament on the main circuit (Sofia 2020), finalist in the Miami Masters 1000,Sinner was the youngest to reach the quarterfinals in Paris since Novak Djokovic in 2006 and the first to join them for his first appearance since a certain Rafael Nadal. Semi-finalist in Barcelona and valiant loser against Nadal in Rome, he continued his progression and entered the World Top 20 at 19.
Matteo Berrettini finds his best level
The Italian number 1 could find Roger Federer in the round of 16. Before that, it will already be necessary to do the work against the Korean Soomwoo Kwon to afford a first round of 16 Porte d'Auteuil. He left Roland Garros in the second round, last fall. Nine months later, the Roman impresses. The 9th in the world, quiet winner of Federico Coria (6–3, 6–3, 6–2), expressed his confidence of the moment: “Last year, I was not at the best time of my career, I had had a lot of injuries. It was not an easy year for anyone. When I looked around from a tennis point of view I only saw bubbles. Sometimes I was happy to play both tournaments, but it wasn't the most great atmosphere. Now I look forward to playing the next matches,the next tournaments because at the end of the day now I feel like I'm back. " Patron of Italian tennis at 24. Roger Federer is warned.
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