With the best ranking of 32nd player on the planet and the recent beating of world number 1 Nole Djokovic, Lorenzo Sonego from Turin is one of the players who has made the most progress on the ATP circuit in recent years. Growing up with Gipo Arbino since he took his first steps with a racket in his hand, Lorenzo has risen up the ladder year after year, experience after experience, until he took great satisfaction such as his success on the grass in Antalya and the quarterfinals in Monte Carlo (2019), until he reached the eighth round at Roland Garros and the final in Vienna in 2020. There could be no better testimonial for the Torino Tennis Talents project, both for Lorenzo’s tennis career and for the values that Gipo’s pupil transmits both on and off the court.
How did you get involved with the Torino Tennis Talents project and the I Tennis Foundation? “At first through Gipo and then directly with Simone Bongiovanni (president of the I Tennis Foundation, ed.), who came to talk to me personally about this project. We then spent a week together in Todi, where I got to know him personally. So, I became fond of him but also of this project, which aims to help young players who don’t have the opportunity to participate in tournaments, which is a fundamental aspect. It is very important to have financial help to be able to go around and have experiences that you really need, because even if you lose in the first round, every defeat teaches you something, it leaves you something. And every tournament you experience in a different way and you learn to live these tournaments and to manage them in a different way. Experience at a certain level counts a lot.
You are experiencing this on your skin, as you don’t have so many matches played on the major circuit and in each year, you have shown that you are growing tournament after tournament. “For me every match is a lesson. I always tell Gipo that I either win or I learn, because from every defeat I have learned the most important things about tennis. Winning leaves you with a smile, but you learn much more from defeats. So, it was really important to play these tournaments every year and to move up a level, as well as to play with players who have been there for a long time and have a lot of experience. It’s a path that has helped me to play each tournament in a different way and to grow.
Your example is a source of great inspiration for the young people of the Torino Tennis Talents project. “I always say that it doesn’t matter what age you are or what happens along the way. It’s important to apply yourself and give everything you have, both on and off the court, because then the court is important, but it’s the little things that make the difference every time you step up and play at a higher level. So those little things, like nutrition, the mental aspect or athletic preparation, are very important and managing those aspects can make a big difference. And then, above all, leaving the field knowing that you have given everything. This is fundamental, because you have a clear conscience and you go home relaxed because, despite the result, if you have given everything you will certainly learn something. One piece of advice that I would like to give these kids today is that despite your age, you must always believe in yourself, continue to work and pursue your dream, but with absolute serenity and passion.
And in less than a year, Turin will become the world capital of tennis. “The ATP Finals is, together with the Slams, the most important tournament in the world. As soon as I heard the news that Turin would host five editions, I thought that one day I would like to qualify. It’s a dream I would like to achieve, because playing at home would be a fantastic emotion. I watched the London Olympics once as a spectator and I am sure that Turin will do just as well.