Tennis Players From Italy

"Padel allows everyone to have fun. Someone who plays padel badly undoubtedly has more fun than a poor tennis player, who never touches the ball and therefore ends up getting bored. Here the distances are shorter, everything is easier."

"But watching those kids cheering for Ho Chi Minh's China and Mao, and spitting on the American flag, I wondered: what do they know about China? And do they know what communism, which they like so much, is? I had been to Poland in 1956 and to Czechoslovakia the following year. I would have liked to take those students on a trip there to show them up close what they were peddling as the dictatorship of the proletariat."

"(Referring to Federico Luzzi) I didn't know him well, although I knew he was considered the hope of Italian tennis. As a player, he was very nervous, although this is a common trait among young people trying to make a name for themselves. What I don't understand is how a 28-year-old can die while many criminals walk around freely."

"Until I was 19, I played soccer better than tennis. I was in Lazio's youth team, I was a center forward and scored more than one goal per game. When the club decided to loan me out to Serie C, I gave up soccer: as a child I dreamed of being an explorer, I thought that with tennis I would travel more."

"(About Protests of 1968) I saw a generation, or at least a large part of a generation, lost behind certain snake charmers who pursued their goals without scruples. Even on the right, mind you. And many young people got caught up in it, risking their own lives and often those of others."

"Panatta earned in one year what it took me ten years to earn in my day."

"[In 1960, explaining his decision to turn professional] Until now, I have lived like a prince, and I am grateful to the Federation. But it is a fairy-tale world that would vanish at the first sign of my decline. So what prospects would I have left other than to become a coach and spend eleven hours a day under the sun teaching listless and distracted kids how to hit a ball?"

"[In 1960] I am convinced that amateur tennis is destined to disappear. In two or three years, Open Tennis will be a reality that even the Davis Cup will have to adapt to."

"What happened when it became known that the final would be against Chile? I immediately said that any decision not to play would be stupid and reckless, that politics could not stop sport and that thirty years later no one would remember Chile and Pinochet, but only the victory. And letting another team's name be on the Cup because we refused to go there was irresponsible."

"Today, all the credit goes to a phenomenal generation that made tennis a hugely popular sport throughout Italy. And some people wanted to prevent that. It's crazy."

"What was Pietrangeli's most important skill as captain? While playing, knowing how to open water bottles and hand out towels from the right side. Because that's all a captain has to do: if you have Leo Messi, there's no point in telling him how to play. Off the court, it's a little different: you have to know how to manage guys who at some point think they're God."

"In Pietrangeli, the human being always prevailed over the machine capable of playing perfectly."

"How many evenings we spent together, in the dark atmosphere of a nightclub, as the hours of the games drew nearer. The anxiety I felt, as a former player and friend, did not seem to affect Nicola in the slightest."

"If, in our day, they had confined us to an island for six months, without tennis courts, and then made us play a tournament, Nicola would have beaten us all."

"I'm a lucky guy: ranked 167th in the world with five Italians ahead of me, and they gave me the Davis Cup showcase!"

"Federico not only won, he won beautifully. He was also a handsome boy, with a captivating face that was both sweet and mischievous, showered with female affection, not least from his mother Paola."

"Regardless of his tennis skills, which were perhaps not fully exploited, he was a likeable and brilliant young man, and his sudden death left his many friends in disbelief and dismay."

"The last time we had dinner together was in Los Angeles, where he was taking an acting course. “Fla, you don't know how many women,” he told me. And I teased him: “What on earth do they see in you...” Every now and then I look at the photo of Fede that I keep in my wallet: he was beautiful."

"I didn't know him well, although I knew he was considered the hope of Italian tennis. As a player, he was very nervous, but that's common among young people trying to make a name for themselves. What I don't understand is how a 28-year-old can die while many criminals walk around freely."

"Federico Luzzi was there to watch me play in the final against Safina last year, and now he's gone. It was as if he were there with me."

"He could be a phenomenon, someone like Xavier Malisse. He has the handicap of being Italian."

"I've always said this, even if it may sound bad: I hope my son doesn't play tennis. Because I know what I've done, the sacrifices my dad made... Not that I'm not willing to make them for my children, far from it, but at the same time it's hard, because if you want to try to excel in our sport, you have to put in a lot of dedication. Maybe it's an adjective that may seem strong: “hard” is waking up at 4 a.m. and going to work. Ours is a very beautiful life, but there are a thousand difficulties. Being alone, far from home and friends, traveling, fatigue, jet lag: there are so many moments that fans don't see. Those who are close to us, those who follow us, know how hard it is. And you have to get used to these things from an early age. [...] This is a hard life. At the same time, I know we are very lucky. In the end, I've made a career out of a sport, and being able to earn a living this way is not something everyone can do; it's a privilege."

"I also slide on concrete, and all this sliding and starting again, sliding and starting again, the support... my joints suffer. I've always been someone who has to be in a certain physical condition when I'm on the court. I'm not six feet tall, I can't go out on the court not at my best and get by with my serve and power. Being in good physical shape is essential for me [...]"

"Whether you like it or not, we're all a bit like Fognini. Get used to it."

"Interviewer: “No regrets about not becoming a soccer player, perhaps for Inter, as your father dreamed?” Fognini: The Dellacasa family lived near our house in Arma: he was Inter's official masseur and a customer at my dad's hardware store. My dad is also a good friend of Altobelli's, so much so that in 1982 he invited him to follow the national team to Spain for the World Cup. All my childhood idols are soccer players: Materazzi the rebel, Zamorano the warrior. My father and I used to go to Pinetina to watch the training sessions. But when I was 13 and faced with a crossroads, I didn't hesitate: in tennis, you're on your own, the credit is yours, the blame is yours. There are no excuses. That's how it works."

"Interviewer: “Fognini would have won much more with a different mindset [...]: truth or stereotype?” Fognini: I've been hearing this my whole life, and I'm tired of it. I'm fine with the way things are: I've made it into the top 10 in the rankings while staying true to myself. Becoming what others want me to be would make me unhappy."

"I don't even know why certain things happen to me. [...] It's as if Fabio sometimes ceases to exist on the court and is suddenly replaced by another guy who is totally out of control. An enemy that I carry inside me and that I sometimes can't hold back."

"Interviwer: “To win, do you have to be selfish?” Fognini: Yes, but only for a limited time. Let me explain: when I play against you, we're not friends, but if we want to go for a beer afterwards, I'm in. What happens on the court stays on the court. That's why after every fine or setback, I've always bounced back."

"[...] when I hang up my racket, I'll be able to say that I was Fabio Fognini in every sense of the word. Mistakes are part of growing up: I don't brag about them, I'm not proud of them. And when I've made mistakes, I've always paid the price. I've never had any breaks in my life."

"When I lose my temper, my mouth starts moving on its own [...]"

"Interviewer: “Fabio, how many times?” Fognini: How many times what? Interviewer: “How many times have you smashed your racket on the ground?” Fognini: Never enough."

"I have to be honest, I don't like the future that lies ahead for this sport [tennis]. Maybe it's because I'm part of an older generation, but now all you see are kids hitting “bombs” with their serves and forehands. I don't enjoy it. When I stop playing, I won't watch it on television and I won't buy a ticket to see a show like that. I don't think it's worth it."

"(About “the inability to control emotions, expectations, and tension on the court”) It's my job, and when I'm on the court, I want to do my best, and many times I don't understand that in certain situations I have to play with what I have. If tomorrow I have five, I have to play with five and I can't expect seven. This is what has always cost me throughout my career. It has taken me to a high level, but not as high as I could have gone. It's my limit. [...] Many people say, “You have to learn from Rafa [Nadal], you have to learn from Roger [Federer],” but how can you do that? There's only one Rafa, and there's only one Roger."

"Over the years, I have realized that in tennis, the psychological component is perhaps the most important. There is a huge amount of tension, and if you want to excel, the mind plays a big part and, above all, ‘the mind lies’, so you have to train it. As if it were a muscle, you have to find a way. In the past, few people trained their minds as they could have, but in my opinion it's important and today we work on it more. I have increasingly followed a certain type of mental training, if you can call it that, also because of the need to get out of certain situations. Interviewer: “Would you like to talk about it?” Fognini: I remember one year I was in Paris, and one night I woke up almost crying, next to Flavia [Pennetta]. I thought I was going to die. I was sweating, my heart was racing, I couldn't feel my left arm, I thought, “Help, I'm having a heart attack.” But no, it was a panic attack. The next day I went onto the court and didn't know what to do, I didn't know where to go, I couldn't breathe properly. These panic attacks have to be managed, you have to work on them, getting your mind used to them with exercises and being aware that things like this can happen. At first I was scared. But not as a tennis player [...], as a person. I thought: I don't want to be like this. Because it's not about suffering on the court, fighting, giving my best, running, winning matches: that's a kind of suffering I'm willing to endure. But off the court, I don't want to suffer like this."

"Years ago, for example, I wasn't ready to understand the fans. Interviewer: The audience at the Internazionali di Roma, for example? Fognini: Yes, and the audience in Rome is a special one, which Fabio Fognini at the time was probably not ready to welcome, to take on his shoulders and carry with him. I had a love-hate relationship with Rome, especially when I was young. I've always been someone who likes to play in big stadiums, with strong players, with fans. It's always excited me. The crowd in Rome is one of the best ever. The fans speak your language, they know you, they want the best from you... playing in Rome is priceless. On the other hand, though, all this can also work against you. They can kill you. You're so tense and want to do so well that you can struggle, and that's something that happened to me in the past. And I didn't understand why they didn't support me when I was in trouble, when I really needed it. This love-hate relationship went on for quite some time. Then, I think we understood each other and, above all, they understood me. At the same time, I probably also learned to accept that the public had expectations, almost demands, of me. I've always been very short-tempered, very passionate, and this came out especially when things were going badly. I would get frustrated, angry, break a racket, argue with someone... But there is no right or wrong, everyone has their own way of expressing themselves and suffering when they fail."

"I'm aware that I can't please everyone. But the most important thing, as I've always said and will say again, is that when Fabio Fognini ends his career, he may have some regrets, yes, but he'll come out with his head held high. Because of the wonderful career he has had and because he has never changed. Interviewer: What do you mean? Fognini: I have always remained myself, regardless of results, popularity, news, and everything around me. And I am proud of that because I think it is important. I think you can be Valentino Rossi, the world's number one motorcyclist, or Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods... but if these things change you, you lose a bit of your humanity. It wouldn't be fair to name names, but I think many of my colleagues have changed with success, and that's a very sad thing."

"I like basketball a lot. My favourite player is LeBron James, so I have to admit that I've changed teams to support based on his movements: I've supported Miami, Cleveland and now the Lakers... And then there's Federer."

"I'm lucky that my game adapts to all surfaces, I've never struggled too much. There's no need to upset my tennis, there are some adjustments to be seen on the court."

"I don't have a diet, I've never been someone who eats badly or likes unsporting things. With my fitness trainer we're looking after this part a little bit, but not too specifically. I try to vary a lot and eat things that make me feel good. Clearly, before the match it wouldn't make sense to gain weight."

"Nowadays everyone can play: some may have less talent but more physical preparation. And this can bring results in the long run. Injury prevention is also a key aspect."

"I like working out a lot, especially during winter training. I also like to work with weights, which we tennis players don't do very much. Instead I struggle a bit with aerobic work and running, but it's very important: endurance is very important."

"Djokovic has a lot in his arsenal, he can play both attack and defence. Sinner is one-dimensional. He is stupidly designed to hit. He is a modified version of the same Hrbaty and Johansson. More modernised."

"I admire him. Somehow I see myself in him: he thinks about work and performance more than about appearing as a character outside sport."

"It doesn't worry me, it stimulates me. And it gives me strength. With Jannik there is a good relationship and a healthy rivalry, which will be good for both of us."

"I read things about Sinner that predict a great future for him. I hope the things I read will come true, like those of Nicola Pietrangeli and Davis. I am now in my nineties, and Sinner's remains among the best days I have had."

"The Italians are passionate and emotional like me, while Jannik is serious and compassionate. Becoming No 1 with you is a potentially disruptive role, [...]. With what generosity will Sinner be willing to give himself to a starving country? He repeats that he is only focused on improvement. I am curious to find out. [...] A position [number one] not easy to hold, indeed. The eyes always on you, the pressure, everyone pulling you by the jacket. Where does Sinner usually rest in Italy? Does he know he has to go around escorted? He's a quiet and reserved guy, who likes to travel under the radar: he's going to bump into Italian enthusiasm. I wish him fun in the leadership role, to give himself some room to manoeuvre, otherwise the number one risks crushing him."

"(Pope Leo XIV to Sinner) In this dress at Wimbledon they would let me play...."

"Sinner: The ball, there it is. If you want to play a little. Pope Leo XIV: But we'll break something here! We'd better not. Pope Leo XIV: I saw that you won last night.... How do you see Rome? Sinner: Now we are in the game. At the beginning of the tournament it was a bit difficult, now with three games we have picked up some rhythm. Pope Leo XIV: Courage."

"It is wonderful for us tennis players to have a Pope who follows us and has played."

"I wish everyone had my parents like I had them because they always allowed me to choose even when I was young I decided. They never put pressure on me even when I played other sports."