Jannik Sinner-Carlos Alcaraz: Paolo Bertolucci reveals the difference
Jannik Sinner-Carlos Alcaraz: Paolo Bertolucci reveals the difference
Paolo Bertolucci gave a lengthy interview to the microphones of OA Sport, starting with Jannik Sinner and his great rival Carlos Alcaraz: "The difference between the two è that 4,000-point difference comes at the end of the championship. There’è a considerable gap between them. While Alcaraz has won two derbies but lost to a few lower-middle-ranked teams, Sinner, on the other hand, has gone clear-cut. The difference è here: Sinner’s continuity throughout the year. Just look at how many games he won and with whom he lost those few. These are the numbers that speak for the’Italian".
The former tennis player at the moment doesn't see a third wheel in the rivalry between the Alto Adige and Murciano: "If a new Djokovic came along it would be a problem, because he had been stronger in the end than Federer and Nadal…Definitely Sinner and Alcaraz are the two spearheads of this new movement that we have been waiting for years. There are good prospects and interesting young people behind them, but they need to be seen and reviewed over the long term. Playing well one tournament or a few weeks does not mean that in 2-3 years they can undermine these two".
"Tennis recycles in a crazy way. When you think the end has come, like when Borg and Sampras retired, then other players come along. Maybe the next one will be an Indonesian, but maybe it will still be a Swiss, since there’s a very interesting one, or a Czech or a German, besides the Sheltons and Rune. There’è a bunch of 7-8 players. Maybe a Djokovic won’t necessarily come out, but a Wawrinka or a Murray, people who have won 3-4 Slam".
So he also talked about Matteo Berrettini: "I have been watching him, he seems far from his peaks. È difficult after two years where he had to struggle off the court. Every now and then he gives’the impression that he can return to a high level, then he loses the next game: è very difficult. The important thing è is that he started running again. He has to stay in the circuit assiduously; health è the first thing. You can’t erase what you had and two years off, new players have come up in the meantime. Maybe he doesn’t have the confidence he had before, he goes on the field a little more; timid and confused. Hopefully he will be able to rise again. He remains a comfortably top20 player, while for the top10 è moreù tough".
Final coda on the Davis Cup, in which Bertolucci would take both Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori: "What if by chance Sinner has two lines of fever, toothache or is overwrought after a singles match? The doubles then who plays it? How do you not get the pair into the top 4 in the world? We also see the state of form. Then Sinner in doubles with whom? Sonego isn’t there this year. Però putting an unseen pair on the court doesn’t convince me. I am always for bringing 3 singles players and a doubles pair. Blessed is the captain Volandri who has these problems of abundance: the choice will be his".
