Tennis-Sinner confident Italian tennis is on the up

Muzali Arts

18/03/2021 08:58

March 18 (Reuters) - Jannik Sinner said Italian tennis is in
great shape and has predicted a bright future for fellow
19-year-old Lorenzo Musetti after the pair notched up wins at
ATP 500 events this week.
    While Matteo Berrettini and Fabio Fognini led Italy to the
final of the team-based ATP Cup last month in Melbourne, 2019
Next Gen ATP Finals winner Sinner has also made a name for
himself as one of the brightest prospects on the circuit.
    Sinner last month became the youngest player to win two ATP
titles since Novak Djokovic in 2006 by claiming the Great Ocean
Road Open after his win at the Sofia Open at the end of 2020.
    On Wednesday, he took down Spain's former number nine
Roberto Bautista Agut 6-4 3-6 7-5 to reach the quarter-finals in
Dubai.
    A day earlier, qualifier Musetti completed his first top-10
career win against Argentine Diego Schwartzman in Acapulco,
Mexico, before defeating American Frances Tiafoe to reach the
last eight.
    "Everyone is different, has different styles, so I think
that's very exciting," Sinner told reporters in Dubai.
    "Musetti is a big, big talent. He can do everything with the
ball already, so he's already physically strong. I think he's a
great player ... He's serving big and going for shots.
    "I'm excited for Italian tennis and I think everyone can do
well in every tournament."
    Sinner reached his maiden Grand Slam quarter-final at last
year's French Open and spent his 14-day isolation in Adelaide
ahead of the Australian Open in Melbourne as Rafa Nadal's
hitting partner.
    The 32nd-ranked Italian said he was learning more about his
own game and feels more comfortable on court.
    For Musetti, the victories in Acapulco this week are his
first Tour-level wins on hardcourts.
    "The start of the season is really good," he said after his
win against Schwartzman. 
    "It's not easy to rise because of the rankings now, it's
still a little bit frozen, but I'm playing good ... I'm trying
to reach them and break into the top 100, that's my goal."      

 (Reporting by Sudipto Ganguly in Mumbai; editing by Peter
Rutherford)
 ((sudipto.ganguly@thomsonreuters.com; +91 22 6841 4383;
Twitter: @Sudipto_Reuters;))