1 00:00:02,330 --> 00:00:05,010 Speaker 1: Hi everyone, and welcome to another episode of The Sit Down. 2 00:00:05,309 --> 00:00:07,070 Speaker 1: I'm Matt Trollo from AusOpen.com. 3 00:00:07,270 --> 00:00:10,710 Speaker 2: And I'm Viv Christie from Australian Tennis Magazine. And Matt, 4 00:00:10,830 --> 00:00:13,870 Speaker 2: this week we are talking to Paolo Lorenzi, who has 5 00:00:13,930 --> 00:00:16,540 Speaker 2: a big job right now as tournament director of the 6 00:00:16,700 --> 00:00:17,860 Speaker 2: Italian Open in Rome. 7 00:00:18,079 --> 00:00:18,800 Speaker 3: Yeah, he does. 8 00:00:19,020 --> 00:00:21,860 Speaker 1: And this is a player who only recently retired himself. 9 00:00:22,260 --> 00:00:24,620 Speaker 1: He was a former world number 33 who played his 10 00:00:24,680 --> 00:00:27,770 Speaker 1: last match in 2021. And he stayed very connected with 11 00:00:27,830 --> 00:00:30,710 Speaker 1: Italian tennis. This is a man who told us that 12 00:00:30,910 --> 00:00:35,100 Speaker 1: he warmed up Matteo Berrettini before the Wimbledon final in 2021. 13 00:00:35,100 --> 00:00:37,180 Speaker 1: And he's also, I think, played doubles and trained with 14 00:00:37,220 --> 00:00:40,280 Speaker 1: Yannick Sinner. And he told our colleague, Ersan Kaderes, who 15 00:00:40,320 --> 00:00:42,520 Speaker 1: he chatted to on the ground in Rome, just exactly 16 00:00:42,560 --> 00:00:45,059 Speaker 1: the impact that Yannick Sinner is having on tennis in Italy. 17 00:00:45,159 --> 00:00:47,340 Speaker 1: His rise to the top of men's tennis, his Australian 18 00:00:47,380 --> 00:00:50,229 Speaker 1: Open victory, has had a massive flow-on effect for tennis 19 00:00:50,240 --> 00:00:52,770 Speaker 1: in the country and has led to a surge in interest. 20 00:00:53,220 --> 00:00:54,840 Speaker 1: So it was really cool to kind of get his 21 00:00:54,880 --> 00:00:57,560 Speaker 1: insights about how that's impacting the tournament in Rome. 22 00:00:58,200 --> 00:00:58,480 Speaker 4: Yeah. 23 00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:01,600 Speaker 2: And Italian tennis generally, I mean, what a great place 24 00:01:01,640 --> 00:01:04,700 Speaker 2: it's in. Not only have you got Sinner doing so well, 25 00:01:04,740 --> 00:01:07,619 Speaker 2: but there's nine Italian men and five Italian women inside 26 00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:10,119 Speaker 2: the world's top 100. So exciting times ahead. 27 00:01:10,470 --> 00:01:13,110 Speaker 1: They're the Davis Cup champions. They're the Billie Jean King 28 00:01:13,120 --> 00:01:16,130 Speaker 1: Cup finalists. And one thing that I thought was interesting, 29 00:01:16,190 --> 00:01:18,550 Speaker 1: he said too, was of those Italian men in the 30 00:01:18,590 --> 00:01:21,430 Speaker 1: top 100, the majority of them are 23 or under. 31 00:01:21,510 --> 00:01:24,240 Speaker 1: So it, you know, it It means the future is 32 00:01:24,280 --> 00:01:25,319 Speaker 1: bright for Italian tennis. 33 00:01:25,400 --> 00:01:27,100 Speaker 2: It certainly is. Let's hear what he has to say. 34 00:01:30,770 --> 00:01:33,370 Speaker 5: OK, I want to start from the beginning. When I 35 00:01:33,410 --> 00:01:37,250 Speaker 5: was seven, eight years old, every year, I'm from Siena 36 00:01:37,430 --> 00:01:40,630 Speaker 5: in Tuscany. I took the bus with all the tennis 37 00:01:40,650 --> 00:01:43,970 Speaker 5: school and I came here to watch all the players. 38 00:01:44,730 --> 00:01:50,430 Speaker 5: And this is for, I think, almost every tennis player 39 00:01:50,610 --> 00:01:54,720 Speaker 5: in Italy. Every kid that's playing tennis, usually when it's 40 00:01:54,820 --> 00:01:57,640 Speaker 5: room time, you're going to take the bus and it's 41 00:01:57,660 --> 00:01:59,840 Speaker 5: going to come to watch tennis. And I think this 42 00:01:59,900 --> 00:02:03,480 Speaker 5: is the first step that brings you to dream to 43 00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:06,460 Speaker 5: become a tennis player. And that's why I think it's 44 00:02:06,700 --> 00:02:09,700 Speaker 5: for the Federation, but for everyone, this tournament is so important. 45 00:02:09,780 --> 00:02:11,720 Speaker 3: And what were your dreams back then? 46 00:02:12,780 --> 00:02:14,919 Speaker 4: Of course, on that day, my dream was to become 47 00:02:14,960 --> 00:02:15,820 Speaker 4: number one in the world. 48 00:02:16,040 --> 00:02:19,590 Speaker 5: Then you start playing, you know, tournaments when you are 49 00:02:19,610 --> 00:02:23,070 Speaker 5: under 12, under 14, and your dream has become, of course, 50 00:02:23,110 --> 00:02:25,239 Speaker 5: to be number one, but then you know, okay, maybe 51 00:02:25,290 --> 00:02:27,360 Speaker 5: one day I want to play the future, then I 52 00:02:27,380 --> 00:02:29,540 Speaker 5: want to play Challenger, and then I want to play ATP, 53 00:02:30,240 --> 00:02:32,720 Speaker 5: and then you try your best. But I think this 54 00:02:32,760 --> 00:02:36,739 Speaker 5: is the first step, is this tournament in Rome, and 55 00:02:37,400 --> 00:02:42,140 Speaker 5: I think that what is the big difference of Rome 56 00:02:42,419 --> 00:02:45,600 Speaker 5: and of this tournament and about the other 1,000 is 57 00:02:46,040 --> 00:02:47,660 Speaker 5: the kids. I don't know if you walk a little 58 00:02:47,680 --> 00:02:49,930 Speaker 5: bit around, But at the end of this tournament, we're 59 00:02:49,950 --> 00:02:54,130 Speaker 5: going to have 55,000 kids only for these 12 days. 60 00:02:54,750 --> 00:02:59,240 Speaker 5: And the federation always start bringing a lot of kids. 61 00:02:59,720 --> 00:03:02,500 Speaker 5: And this is the first step. And then this is 62 00:03:02,520 --> 00:03:05,240 Speaker 5: the first step. The last step is Yannick Sinner. The 63 00:03:05,260 --> 00:03:06,260 Speaker 5: last step is Yannick Sinner. 64 00:03:07,480 --> 00:03:10,920 Speaker 3: So is this part of the success because you bring 65 00:03:10,980 --> 00:03:14,359 Speaker 3: in so many kids that maybe wouldn't normally be exposed 66 00:03:14,400 --> 00:03:14,900 Speaker 3: to tennis? 67 00:03:15,620 --> 00:03:17,900 Speaker 4: I think that this is a part. 68 00:03:18,540 --> 00:03:22,350 Speaker 5: The other one is that in the last 20, 25 years, 69 00:03:22,810 --> 00:03:25,950 Speaker 5: because I remember it was the beginning of Andreas' epic career, 70 00:03:26,389 --> 00:03:30,109 Speaker 5: we started to have a lot of challengers and future 71 00:03:30,130 --> 00:03:33,720 Speaker 5: in Italy. In one moment, if you were watching the calendar, 72 00:03:33,740 --> 00:03:37,339 Speaker 5: we had 25 challengers and more than 30 future. 73 00:03:37,880 --> 00:03:39,820 Speaker 4: So what this one doesn't mean. 74 00:03:39,640 --> 00:03:42,720 Speaker 5: Is that every week you're going to have a wildcard 75 00:03:42,760 --> 00:03:47,110 Speaker 5: for Italian players, that they can play this tournament also 76 00:03:47,150 --> 00:03:48,190 Speaker 5: if they don't have the ranking. 77 00:03:48,610 --> 00:03:51,030 Speaker 4: But it's not only them. They're going to bring the coach. 78 00:03:51,530 --> 00:03:54,910 Speaker 5: And the coach, they can watch and talk with other 79 00:03:54,970 --> 00:03:56,690 Speaker 5: coaches from other countries. 80 00:03:57,130 --> 00:03:58,330 Speaker 4: So they're going to improve. 81 00:03:58,730 --> 00:04:02,150 Speaker 5: And after 20 years, that's why now the Italian Federation 82 00:04:02,170 --> 00:04:04,330 Speaker 5: has so many good coaches and so many good players. 83 00:04:04,590 --> 00:04:06,530 Speaker 3: Wow. And where do you want to go from here? 84 00:04:06,560 --> 00:04:09,360 Speaker 5: Well, if you ask me, I think this is the beginning. 85 00:04:10,060 --> 00:04:14,160 Speaker 5: Because we have, of course, one player on the top 10. 86 00:04:14,160 --> 00:04:17,350 Speaker 5: But three, four years ago, we had also Berrettini. If 87 00:04:17,390 --> 00:04:22,370 Speaker 5: you watch right now, we have Musetti, we have Arnaldi, 88 00:04:22,410 --> 00:04:26,370 Speaker 5: we have Koboli, we have Nardi. All these players are 89 00:04:26,490 --> 00:04:29,370 Speaker 5: under 23 years old, so we don't know where they're 90 00:04:29,390 --> 00:04:31,789 Speaker 5: going to go. I think that we're going to have 91 00:04:31,850 --> 00:04:35,950 Speaker 5: another 10, 12 years, and then the goal is to 92 00:04:35,990 --> 00:04:40,409 Speaker 5: bring more of them, and maybe in 10 years, 15 years, 93 00:04:40,430 --> 00:04:42,170 Speaker 5: we're going to have, I don't know, 10 players top 50. 94 00:04:42,170 --> 00:04:42,510 Speaker 4: Why not? 95 00:04:43,110 --> 00:04:44,370 Speaker 3: Wow, that's a big goal. 96 00:04:44,850 --> 00:04:46,490 Speaker 4: Yeah, I know, but I think. 97 00:04:46,370 --> 00:04:50,400 Speaker 5: That You have to dream big, because if you dream big, 98 00:04:50,460 --> 00:04:54,400 Speaker 5: then at the end you're going to have something. And 99 00:04:54,460 --> 00:04:58,390 Speaker 5: I think that this work, like I said, started from 100 00:04:58,450 --> 00:05:02,450 Speaker 5: the Federation 20 years ago. I'm not saying that it 101 00:05:02,529 --> 00:05:06,570 Speaker 5: just started. I'm saying that this process is a long process. 102 00:05:06,670 --> 00:05:09,620 Speaker 5: The bases are big. So that's why I think we 103 00:05:09,640 --> 00:05:11,020 Speaker 5: can have a lot of results. 104 00:05:11,580 --> 00:05:13,960 Speaker 3: What role does the Annex Center play in this whole 105 00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:14,700 Speaker 3: development now? 106 00:05:15,200 --> 00:05:18,690 Speaker 5: In this moment, it's the most important roles because it's 107 00:05:18,710 --> 00:05:23,850 Speaker 5: the example for the new generation, for the players that 108 00:05:23,970 --> 00:05:27,130 Speaker 5: are good and they want to become even better. And 109 00:05:27,710 --> 00:05:32,290 Speaker 5: everyone in Italy is watching Sinner. So to be an 110 00:05:32,350 --> 00:05:35,360 Speaker 5: example and to be young is not easy, but I 111 00:05:35,360 --> 00:05:38,180 Speaker 5: think that Yannick is the right person to do that. 112 00:05:38,660 --> 00:05:41,620 Speaker 3: And how do you see that in excitement, in numbers, 113 00:05:41,660 --> 00:05:43,080 Speaker 3: for example? How do you see it? 114 00:05:44,190 --> 00:05:50,180 Speaker 5: In numbers, right now, if you see in the audience, 115 00:05:50,700 --> 00:05:54,360 Speaker 5: a Yannick Sinner match is like a football match in Italy. 116 00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:56,599 Speaker 5: And this one has almost never happened in the last 117 00:05:56,839 --> 00:06:03,510 Speaker 5: three years. And when Sinner is playing, you have the 118 00:06:03,550 --> 00:06:08,870 Speaker 5: live score, whatever, in every news site in Italy, online, 119 00:06:09,170 --> 00:06:12,450 Speaker 5: everyone is talking about Sinner. If you, I don't know, 120 00:06:12,490 --> 00:06:15,219 Speaker 5: if you work online, In the street, they are talking 121 00:06:15,279 --> 00:06:18,480 Speaker 5: why Sinner is not now number one, how many points 122 00:06:18,500 --> 00:06:19,140 Speaker 5: he needs. 123 00:06:19,440 --> 00:06:21,000 Speaker 4: Now everyone is talking about tennis. 124 00:06:21,060 --> 00:06:25,320 Speaker 5: So I think that can bring a lot more in 125 00:06:25,339 --> 00:06:26,060 Speaker 5: the tennis in Italy. 126 00:06:26,260 --> 00:06:28,780 Speaker 3: So is it almost competing with football? 127 00:06:29,230 --> 00:06:32,930 Speaker 5: I think that Sinner right now maybe can be better 128 00:06:33,529 --> 00:06:35,970 Speaker 5: than football because I think right now he's the most 129 00:06:36,070 --> 00:06:38,130 Speaker 5: famous sportsman in Italy. 130 00:06:38,529 --> 00:06:42,690 Speaker 4: It's like Tomba a few years ago or Valentino Rossi. 131 00:06:43,270 --> 00:06:45,690 Speaker 3: As a tennis administrator and as tournament director, do you 132 00:06:45,710 --> 00:06:49,900 Speaker 3: think players or former players make the best administrators in tennis? 133 00:06:51,300 --> 00:06:54,500 Speaker 5: I don't think so, because if you think that only 134 00:06:54,520 --> 00:06:58,620 Speaker 5: the former tennis player can do some things, I don't 135 00:06:58,640 --> 00:07:00,339 Speaker 5: think it's the right decision. 136 00:07:00,740 --> 00:07:05,849 Speaker 4: I think that they know tennis. They know a little bit. 137 00:07:05,770 --> 00:07:09,289 Speaker 5: Better how to run a tournament because they can speak 138 00:07:09,310 --> 00:07:09,930 Speaker 5: with the players. 139 00:07:09,950 --> 00:07:12,970 Speaker 4: They know what they need. So they have an advantage. 140 00:07:13,390 --> 00:07:15,530 Speaker 5: I'm not saying that they are the only one that 141 00:07:15,550 --> 00:07:17,770 Speaker 5: can do that, but I'm sure they have an advantage. 142 00:07:18,450 --> 00:07:21,990 Speaker 3: Now look at the money side of things. This whole excitement, 143 00:07:22,030 --> 00:07:26,040 Speaker 3: this golden era of Italian tennis, has it also brought 144 00:07:26,120 --> 00:07:27,320 Speaker 3: in more money? 145 00:07:27,920 --> 00:07:28,120 Speaker 5: Yes. 146 00:07:29,000 --> 00:07:30,960 Speaker 4: Now there are for sure more sponsors. 147 00:07:31,400 --> 00:07:38,020 Speaker 5: Everyone wants to be involved in tennis because, of course, 148 00:07:38,080 --> 00:07:42,500 Speaker 5: everyone is talking. About tennis, we just won the Davis Cup. 149 00:07:42,820 --> 00:07:45,190 Speaker 5: We made the final in the Belgian Cup. So this 150 00:07:45,230 --> 00:07:48,250 Speaker 5: was bringing sponsors and a lot of people. I think 151 00:07:48,290 --> 00:07:52,570 Speaker 5: that everyone is becoming concentrated on the goal. And the 152 00:07:52,610 --> 00:07:56,530 Speaker 5: goal is to have always top players. Because the top 153 00:07:56,570 --> 00:07:59,490 Speaker 5: players bring you more kids. And then you have a 154 00:07:59,530 --> 00:08:01,890 Speaker 5: big base. Then you're going to have more players for 155 00:08:01,920 --> 00:08:02,330 Speaker 5: the future. 156 00:08:02,620 --> 00:08:06,640 Speaker 3: So do you get more requests for tournament sponsors? Right now, yes. 157 00:08:06,960 --> 00:08:07,740 Speaker 4: We have Rai. 158 00:08:09,430 --> 00:08:15,270 Speaker 5: That is the most important tennis channel in Italy. They 159 00:08:15,370 --> 00:08:18,340 Speaker 5: are coming back to put. 160 00:08:20,100 --> 00:08:21,580 Speaker 4: Rome on TV again. 161 00:08:22,760 --> 00:08:25,680 Speaker 5: Sponsors want to be part of the Rome tournament, but 162 00:08:25,700 --> 00:08:27,670 Speaker 5: they want to be part of the Davis Cup team 163 00:08:27,960 --> 00:08:30,550 Speaker 5: and all these kind of things. So this, of course, 164 00:08:30,690 --> 00:08:33,450 Speaker 5: is going to help us, but we need to remain 165 00:08:33,530 --> 00:08:34,350 Speaker 5: focused on the goal. 166 00:08:34,750 --> 00:08:36,570 Speaker 3: Does that also mean the tournament will grow? 167 00:08:37,650 --> 00:08:41,290 Speaker 4: Of course, our goal is to grow. The numbers are crazy. 168 00:08:42,910 --> 00:08:47,980 Speaker 5: People want to come here and we are selling more tickets. 169 00:08:48,580 --> 00:08:53,300 Speaker 5: And so, of course, the tournament is growing. I don't 170 00:08:53,320 --> 00:08:57,660 Speaker 5: know what we can do better and new every year, 171 00:08:58,020 --> 00:09:00,219 Speaker 5: but our goal is to be a better tournament. 172 00:09:00,559 --> 00:09:01,370 Speaker 3: How about a roof? 173 00:09:02,170 --> 00:09:08,030 Speaker 5: The roof is, I think, our most important goal for 174 00:09:08,050 --> 00:09:14,080 Speaker 5: the next years. This is an historical place, so it's 175 00:09:14,130 --> 00:09:17,640 Speaker 5: not easy to change things. They already gave us the 176 00:09:17,660 --> 00:09:21,880 Speaker 5: permission to do the roof, but of course you saw 177 00:09:21,900 --> 00:09:26,479 Speaker 5: the Petrangeli court. Everything is old and historical, so we 178 00:09:26,520 --> 00:09:29,179 Speaker 5: need to have a little bit more permission, but I 179 00:09:29,220 --> 00:09:30,820 Speaker 5: think in the next few years the roof is going 180 00:09:30,840 --> 00:09:31,240 Speaker 5: to be ready. 181 00:09:31,820 --> 00:09:35,700 Speaker 3: What about the Federation setting up its own tennis channel? 182 00:09:36,460 --> 00:09:39,820 Speaker 3: on tv when did this start and and how is 183 00:09:39,880 --> 00:09:42,160 Speaker 3: this part of the success maybe as well. 184 00:09:42,640 --> 00:09:46,209 Speaker 5: But this is a big part of the success is 185 00:09:46,350 --> 00:09:50,990 Speaker 5: we have tennis channels more than 15 years and was 186 00:09:51,450 --> 00:09:55,610 Speaker 5: the first time that we in the last 20 years 187 00:09:55,630 --> 00:09:59,520 Speaker 5: we brought tennis on tv on normal tv so we 188 00:09:59,540 --> 00:10:02,010 Speaker 5: brought tennis to all the families in Italy. 189 00:10:02,429 --> 00:10:05,030 Speaker 4: So you are at home and you can watch tennis. 190 00:10:05,290 --> 00:10:08,170 Speaker 5: I think that's a big change because you can follow 191 00:10:08,220 --> 00:10:12,460 Speaker 5: your top players, you can follow tennis men and women. 192 00:10:12,480 --> 00:10:17,780 Speaker 5: And I think that is changing slowly, but it changed 193 00:10:17,940 --> 00:10:21,080 Speaker 5: the thing. So If you ask me, the first three 194 00:10:21,100 --> 00:10:24,800 Speaker 5: things are a lot of kids, the tennis channel, and 195 00:10:24,820 --> 00:10:27,990 Speaker 5: a lot of tournaments. That was the key for the 196 00:10:28,590 --> 00:10:30,170 Speaker 5: growth of tennis in Italy. 197 00:10:30,410 --> 00:10:32,150 Speaker 3: And Super Tennis is free TV? 198 00:10:32,170 --> 00:10:33,370 Speaker 4: It's free TV. 199 00:10:33,730 --> 00:10:36,450 Speaker 5: And this is one of the most important things, because 200 00:10:36,910 --> 00:10:40,490 Speaker 5: everyone can watch tennis on Super Tennis all day, 24 201 00:10:40,490 --> 00:10:40,970 Speaker 5: hours a day. 202 00:10:41,190 --> 00:10:45,260 Speaker 3: And is it purely professional? a federation investment? Is it 203 00:10:45,400 --> 00:10:46,260 Speaker 3: owned by the federation? 204 00:10:46,320 --> 00:10:47,600 Speaker 4: It's owned by the federation. 205 00:10:47,620 --> 00:10:53,040 Speaker 5: Right now, you have free all the challenges, you have 206 00:10:53,080 --> 00:10:55,500 Speaker 5: big tournaments, you have the US Open. 207 00:10:55,520 --> 00:10:58,370 Speaker 4: So I think that all these matches, you can watch 208 00:10:58,410 --> 00:10:58,709 Speaker 4: for free. 209 00:10:59,010 --> 00:11:01,350 Speaker 3: Wow, that's fantastic. I just got a couple more. Is 210 00:11:01,370 --> 00:11:03,430 Speaker 3: there an Italian way of playing tennis? 211 00:11:04,770 --> 00:11:04,949 Speaker 4: No. 212 00:11:06,050 --> 00:11:10,109 Speaker 5: And I think that at the beginning, like when I 213 00:11:10,150 --> 00:11:14,460 Speaker 5: was starting to play pro, That was a key moment 214 00:11:15,120 --> 00:11:19,900 Speaker 5: because we were watching Spain or other country like United 215 00:11:19,960 --> 00:11:22,540 Speaker 5: States that all the players there was, I have to say, 216 00:11:22,590 --> 00:11:26,929 Speaker 5: similar because in the States, huge serve, huge foreign. 217 00:11:27,250 --> 00:11:29,230 Speaker 4: In Spain, they were trying to use a lot of spin. 218 00:11:29,770 --> 00:11:31,309 Speaker 4: The Italian Federation, no. 219 00:11:31,630 --> 00:11:35,650 Speaker 5: We don't have like, we have a school, but not 220 00:11:35,690 --> 00:11:37,910 Speaker 5: that we have to follow some rules. And then I 221 00:11:37,950 --> 00:11:41,010 Speaker 5: think it's why we have seen that it's playing like this. 222 00:11:41,559 --> 00:11:45,439 Speaker 5: Then we have Lorenzo Musetti with one-hand backhand. And then 223 00:11:45,480 --> 00:11:49,429 Speaker 5: we have, I don't know, Koboli that is a fighter. 224 00:11:49,710 --> 00:11:52,350 Speaker 5: And then every player is different. And I think also 225 00:11:52,370 --> 00:11:53,530 Speaker 5: this one is helping us a lot. 226 00:11:54,010 --> 00:11:58,330 Speaker 3: And you practiced with Sinner and Berrettini quite a few times, right? 227 00:11:59,010 --> 00:11:59,270 Speaker 4: Right. 228 00:11:59,350 --> 00:12:02,680 Speaker 5: We were joking right now because I warmed up Berrettini 229 00:12:02,700 --> 00:12:05,200 Speaker 5: before the final in Wimbledon. So it is a joke 230 00:12:05,220 --> 00:12:07,640 Speaker 5: that he lost because it was my fault, I hope. 231 00:12:08,240 --> 00:12:10,320 Speaker 5: Not because I always told him that he won the 232 00:12:10,340 --> 00:12:12,600 Speaker 5: first set and it was... because he practiced with me. 233 00:12:13,500 --> 00:12:17,940 Speaker 3: What's Sinner blaming you for? Anything? Sinner, is he blaming 234 00:12:17,960 --> 00:12:19,079 Speaker 3: you for anything as well? 235 00:12:19,800 --> 00:12:23,420 Speaker 5: Okay, the first time that we made semi in ATP 236 00:12:23,420 --> 00:12:27,229 Speaker 5: 250 in Antwerp, we played doubles together and we made semis. 237 00:12:27,830 --> 00:12:29,689 Speaker 4: So I think also you have to thank me a 238 00:12:29,730 --> 00:12:30,209 Speaker 4: lot for this. 239 00:12:31,470 --> 00:12:33,270 Speaker 3: So who was better in practice? 240 00:12:33,750 --> 00:12:37,290 Speaker 5: I have to say that they are completely different players 241 00:12:37,970 --> 00:12:42,699 Speaker 5: because Berrettini used to serve Sometimes I'm telling you, you 242 00:12:42,720 --> 00:12:44,500 Speaker 5: know where you're going to sail, but you cannot return. 243 00:12:45,320 --> 00:12:47,470 Speaker 4: And then you have seen the intensity. 244 00:12:48,000 --> 00:12:52,290 Speaker 5: When he was already 16, 17 years old, the intensity 245 00:12:52,309 --> 00:12:54,370 Speaker 5: that he put on course was unbelievable. 246 00:12:54,390 --> 00:12:55,450 Speaker 4: He was so focused. 247 00:12:56,170 --> 00:13:00,790 Speaker 5: And so this is why now he will be the 248 00:13:00,830 --> 00:13:01,670 Speaker 5: next number one in the world. 249 00:13:05,140 --> 00:13:08,090 Speaker 2: So Yannick Sinner as the world number one player, well, 250 00:13:08,130 --> 00:13:12,030 Speaker 2: that prediction could come true as soon as Roland Garros 251 00:13:12,090 --> 00:13:15,770 Speaker 2: with Novak Djokovic defending lots of points as defending champion. 252 00:13:15,950 --> 00:13:18,410 Speaker 2: And yes, Sinner with a great opportunity there. 253 00:13:18,670 --> 00:13:21,760 Speaker 1: Absolutely. And I mean, we're talking about Novak Djokovic, the 254 00:13:21,800 --> 00:13:24,480 Speaker 1: most dominant number one in tennis history and took a 255 00:13:24,540 --> 00:13:27,540 Speaker 1: back off Carlos Alcaraz last year and has held onto 256 00:13:27,559 --> 00:13:29,380 Speaker 1: it ever since. He's been number one for well over 257 00:13:29,380 --> 00:13:32,800 Speaker 1: 400 weeks. So to have a torch passing moment potentially 258 00:13:32,840 --> 00:13:35,520 Speaker 1: as soon as Roland Garros with Yannick Sinner taking it over, 259 00:13:35,900 --> 00:13:37,680 Speaker 1: that's a pretty interesting plot line. 260 00:13:38,020 --> 00:13:40,290 Speaker 2: So we'll be back next week with another episode of 261 00:13:40,330 --> 00:13:43,110 Speaker 2: The Sit Down when we talk to Francesca Schiavone, a 262 00:13:43,309 --> 00:13:46,609 Speaker 2: former Roland Garros champion and a legend, another legend of 263 00:13:46,670 --> 00:13:47,370 Speaker 2: Italian tennis. 264 00:13:47,750 --> 00:13:49,110 Speaker 1: And you can listen to John and the team in 265 00:13:49,150 --> 00:13:52,050 Speaker 1: the meantime this Thursday on the AO Show Weekly. And 266 00:13:52,110 --> 00:13:53,829 Speaker 1: details for how to contact Viv and I are in 267 00:13:53,850 --> 00:13:57,150 Speaker 1: the show notes below. As always, please subscribe, rate and review. 268 00:13:57,350 --> 00:13:58,229 Speaker 1: We'll see you next week, Viv. 269 00:13:58,490 --> 00:13:59,270 Speaker 2: Look forward to it, Matt.