Luca Nardi studies from Jannik Sinner: “I didn’t expect it.”

Luca Nardi after Astana tournament and Tsitsipas: “It made me realize how you can play tennis and the level up there. I didn’t expect to play so well.”

There is another talent on the launching pad in Italian tennis after Jannik Sinner: the Astana tournament put Luca Nardi in the spotlight, who in Kazakhstan scored his first win on the Atp circuit. The 19-year-old from Pesaro, after overcoming Goffin in the qualifiers and Shevchenko in the first round, stopped against top ten Stefanos Tsitsipas, selling his skin dearly, however: “This first meeting with a top 10 was a fantastic experience, it made me understand how you can play tennis and the level there at the top – these are the words to Ubitennis -. I did not expect to play so well and to come so close to being able to win it, the challenge turned on a few points and I had chances.”

Nardi also has a hint of regret: “A left leg resentment affected the finish, but the result probably would not have changed, I’m fine now. In general I did not feel inferior to Tsitsipas in the ground game. He was decisive on serve, especially in the tie-break, and this is something I need to improve on. As well as on the response, especially when you meet players who serve so well.”

In Florence he will be wild card, the road to the top and emulate Sinner is still long but the new world number 130 is charged up: “The path is the right one, I will continue to work as I am doing. I will go to Florence with a different mentality and awareness than a few weeks ago, the match with Tsitsipas made me realize what level I can play at and now I have to learn to be consistent. I am positive, if I did it once I can do it again.”