They are the first two stages of the Italian rocket that now towers over men’s tennis worldwide. In 2021, Matteo Berrettini put Italy back on the map by reaching the Wimbledon final. Three years later, Jannik Sinner polished the Boot nicely by winning the Australian Open in January and then becoming, last month, the first Italian in history to sit at the top of the ATP rankings. In the meantime, the two men crossed paths in the elevator. While the slender redhead from Trentino was gaining weight to the point of ejecting Novak Djokovic from a throne that he warmed with hegemony, the handsome dark-haired man with dark eyes was taking a forced nap in the attic. A long crossing of the desert and an exit from the top 100 (154th in March) caused by a body that squeaked everywhere and all the time.
