Comment | Seppi deserves more appreciation

He had to beat Roger Federer to become South Tyrol's athlete of the year in 2015. Seppi was often overshadowed by others, and now Jannik Sinner has overtaken him. The Sesto native has penetrated into spheres that Seppi never reached. But what the 38-year-old Kalterer has achieved is remarkable.

Not many people had bet on him at the beginning of his career. One already. Kaltern's club president Alex Vorhauser wanted to bring out a top 100 player and was laughed at by many. In 1995 he brought Massimo Sartori to Kaltern. The coach from Vicenza has led Seppi to the top of the world. It was a very special relationship between the two, like father and son, more than coach and player. A connection that has lasted a lifetime of tennis and certainly beyond.

A comment from Stefan Peer. © ÖA / jaidermartina

Seppi wasn't a star you could touch and couldn't see on our TV every week, because the world was his home for many years. He wasn't in South Tyrol that often because a tennis professional's season lasts 11 months. And when he was here, he wanted to relax and have peace and quiet back home. Of course, his fans would have liked him to express himself more often on the pitch, to show emotions, to take more risks, to be more aggressive and courageous as they followed his games around the world, often in the middle of the night or early morning in Australia in America or in one of the approximately 50 countries in which he has pitched. But Seppi had to be exactly like that to be good. “Mr Reliable” He was a level-headed and quiet worker, almost modest. Always friendly and polite to everyone. He didn't have a parade shot because he was good at everything. An Italian journalist aptly called him “Mister Reliable”. An example. You could always rely on Seppi. For many years he subordinated everything to tennis. For that reason alone, he really deserves every cent of the almost 12 million euros in his career prize money.

Nobody has to be jealous, at most a little proud, that South Tyrol has produced such a player. His parents Maria-Luise and Hugo certainly are. They never interfered in the career of their son, who also found happiness in his private life in South Tyrol. It is fate that he ends his career at the Challenger in Val Gardena, where he met his future wife Michela Bernardi, to whom he has been married since September 10, 2016. Daughter Liv was born on February 20.2.2020, 8, and son Hugo was added on April 2022, XNUMX. They will now enjoy life in their home in Colorado, USA. Like a normal family. How Seppi wanted it. And once his children understand what their father has achieved, then daddy will be proud too. At least a bit.

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Comment | Seppi deserves more appreciation

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