The next super talent: Lorenzo Musetti in Sinner's footsteps

November 12, 2019: While hundreds of spectators in the Runggaditsch tennis hall are eagerly waiting for Jannik Sinner's first match at the Challenger in Ortisei, a certain Lorenzo Musetti beats the current top 90 player Gianluca Mager on the next court - away from the trouble - almost regardless smoothly in two sentences. Lorenzo Musetti, who won the Australian Open for boys in 2019 in a dramatic and high-class final. The same Lorenzo Musetti who swept three-time Grand Slam winner Stan Wawrinka off the court 1000-6, 0-7 at the ATP 6 tournament at the Foro Italico in Rome on Tuesday. That Lorenzo Musetti who has so much and at the same time so little in common with Jannik Sinner, who is a year older than him. Back to the roots The 18-year-old from Carrara is an old-school player. This means that his repertoire is far larger than serve, backhand and forehand. Musetti is characterized by his variable game and his incredibly fine hand. Whether slices, precise stop balls or bomb-proof volleys – the Italian is a complete player even at a young age. Even Sinner says that Musetti “probably has the better shots, the greater potential.” The latter replies that he still has many weaknesses, but the Sextner's words encourage them.

Jannik Sinner maintains a friendly relationship with Lorenzo Musetti. © APA/afp / RICCARDO ANTIMIANI

It's not just the one-handed backhand that distinguishes the man from Tuscany from the South Tyrolean. His entire demeanor is different: While Sinner is calm on the tennis court, Musetti corresponds to the typical cliché of the Italian who lets his emotions run wild. It is currently clear in Rome that both methods lead to success. Stefanos Tsitsipas and Stan Wawrinka can tell you a thing or two about it. The paths cross On their way to the top, both players took advantage of the Challenger Tour, the tournament series under the ATP Tour. The more games you play at a high level, the greater the development, is the recipe for success of both players, who have already faced each other once in their young careers - in Rome of all places. In the pre-qualification for last year's Masters, Sinner beat Musetti 6:7, 7:6 and 6:3 after defending a match point. Experts see this game as the beginning of a long-standing, healthy rivalry.

After this match, Sinner started to soar. However, things became quieter around Musetti, who had previously been ranked higher. “All the spotlights were on me after the Australian Open. “Thankfully, that has changed with Jannik’s successes,” says the Tuscan with relief. After his win against Kei Nishikori on Thursday evening (6:3, 6:4) that changed: Simone Tartarini's protégé is on everyone's lips - and will probably stay that way. Down-to-earthness unites them While the Tifosi dream of a head-to-head race between the two super talents in the future, Sinner and Musetti are keeping their feet on the ground - knowing full well that they still have a long way to go on their way to the top of the world.

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The next super talent: Lorenzo Musetti in Sinner's footsteps

Football, swimming, volleyball: these are just a few of the sports Italy is known for. This could change soon, because in addition to Jannik Sinner, another tennis super talent is currently attracting attention. A super talent who also left a lasting impression here.

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