Berrettini and Sinner will have to give him some space: the last minute invitation is due, after the statements he made in Rome.
The sky is no longer blue over Rome. Not a single Italian is left in the competition, and the home crowd, for obvious reasons, is inconsolable. It could have been better. Definitely better. If Jannik Sinner had not forfeited because of his hip problem, we would most likely be here telling a different story altogether from the one we are telling you. But so be it.
We have to admit, in any case, that the Azzurri in the race fought with honor and that, some of them, really gave their best. Take Luciano Darderi, for example, who went all the way to the round of 16 and played two great matches before Sascha Zverev knocked him out. He reached the same goal Stefano Napolitano, who was stopped by Nicolas Jarry and came close, having won a set, to reaching the round of 16 at the Rome Internationals.
Even in the absence of the two home pupils, Jannik and Matteo Berrettini, the Bel Paese was nevertheless well represented. And even Zverev himself noticed it, who at the end of the match that earned him access to the fourth-last step of the tournament broke a spear, indeed, more than one, in favor of Italian tennis.
Berrettini and Sinner, need an extra seat at the table: there are guests coming
First commented on the performance of his opponent on Sunday, Darderi, making a very flattering comparison: “The guy serves at 225 mph and hits his forehand as hard as Berrettini, so he reminded me a little of him. He’s young, he’s on the rise. “
After that, a general reflection on our domestic nursery: “I don’t know what the Italians are eating,” remarked the Hamburg native, evidently amazed by the talent and tenacity of Sinner’s colleagues, “but there seem to be a lot of young people and a lot of great players, Darderi is definitely one of them.
They would therefore do well, Matthew and Jannik, to add a seat at the table. It seems clear that the very strong Sascha is eager to feast together with all of them, and that he, too, wants to “taste” the secret recipes behind the success of Italian tennis. And an invitation to lunch of domestic specialties, you know, is not denied to anyone. Hospitality first and foremost.