He is now vegetating at 104th place in the world, but remains for a whole golden generation the man of the click.
In 2018, Marco Cecchinato, then 72nd player in the ATP, blown the fortnight of Roland-Garros by reaching the last four, after having released Novak Djokovic in quarter.
“We were training with him and we were like
, Okay, this guy is good, but he's not monstrous, so we can do that too.
"
Behind these words, Matteo Berrettini, member of the top 10. The 25-year-old Romain has been one of the leading figures in the revival of Italian men's tennis for two years, alongside Jannik Sinner (19) or the two Lorenzo, Musetti (19 years old) and Sonego (26 years old).
At a time when French tennis is at the bottom of the hole, transalpine men's tennis enjoys a prodigious pool of talent, fueled by a boom in licensees.
In 2011, none was among the 32 seeds of the Roland-Garros tournament.
This year, they are five in the third round of the Parisian Grand Slam, even if the defeat, on Friday, of Fognini against the Argentinian Delbonis and the fratricidal duel between Musetti and Cecchinato, this Saturday, will not allow them to beat their record of five Italians in the second week.
Multiply tournaments at home
Simple chance is not enough to decipher the reasons for this
azzurra
wave
.
“Each generation has more or less talent.
Ten years ago, look, it was France with Tsonga, Monfils, Gasquet… ”lists Dalibor Sirola, physical trainer in the Italian academy of the famous trainer Riccardo Piatti, who trained Ljubicic, Gasquet, Raonic or Djokovic .
He also takes the example of girls, who performed very well ten years ago, like Francesca Schiavone and Sara Errani, laureates in Paris.
The Italian Jannik Sinner contributed to the French slump by taking out Pierre-Hugues Herbert in the first round.
LP / Arnaud Journois
However, the breeding ground for such talents has been profoundly changed, insists the one who worked with the Italian Andreas Seppi before dealing with the Canadian Milos Raonic and the Croatian Borna Coric. “For five or six years, there have been a lot of Challenger and Future tournaments
(Editor's note: the categories under the ATP circuit)
organized on Italian soil. From May to October, every week, we have at least one, or even two, explains Dalibor Sirola. This is the main reason. Young Italians can play half a season at home without traveling or spending any money. And we facilitate access to tournaments, especially for juniors, by offering them invitations. "
“You can stay in Italy and be less tired than traveling more.
It is perfect for the youngest, who can quickly be confronted with the high level ”, recently confirmed Matteo Berrettini, who acts as troop leader.
"Today, I am asked if Italy can win the Davis Cup"
In 2004, the Italian federation set up a technical center in Tuscany, in order to identify and train future champions.
The transalpine coach Alberto Castellani believes that the Italian trainers have been able to open up to other management methods, without waiting for the authorities.
"Some have taken longer than others to give mental preparation the place it deserves, and find the magician in each of the players", assures the one who has worked in private academies.
To shine, it remains now to bewitch durably in the high spheres and to take advantage of this period of transition which seems to be emerging.
"With Sinner and Musetti, we are fine for the next ten years", recently assured the "veteran" Fabio Fognini.
"I see it when I go to take gasoline, told the former Italian champion Paolo Bertolucci at the beginning of May at Corriere dello Sport.
Before it was only
hello
,
good evening
.
Today, I am asked about Sinner and Musetti, I am asked if Italy can win the Davis Cup… ”
Before a team title, it is already a question of winning a Grand Slam. A trophy that has been fleeing Italy since 1976 and a certain Adriano Panatta, at Roland Garros.