Italy has always been known for its obsession with football, but now millions of Italians are finding themselves torn between supporting their beloved Azzurri at Euro 2024 and tuning into Wimbledon to cheer for Jannik Sinner, Italy’s first top seed in the tournament’s history. Sinner, who recently claimed the world number one ranking from Novak Djokovic, prepared perfectly for the challenge by winning his first grasscourt trophy at Halle in Germany. However, Sinner is just the frontman for a broader Italian tennis renaissance, with seven men in the world’s top 60 and a flourishing grassroots movement. Italy’s strength in depth is comparable to the United States, with both countries having the same number of top-60 players. Young Italian players make up a significant portion of the talent pool, with six out of nine Italian men in the top 100 falling between the ages of 20 and 23.
Italy’s remarkable surge in tennis talent comes after decades of struggling to produce top-tier performers, with no Italian man winning a Grand Slam trophy since 1976 until Sinner’s win at the Australian Open this year. In 2010, Italy did not have any men in the top 50 and only three in the top 100, highlighting the significant progress made in just over a decade. The transformation is attributed to reforms implemented by the Italian tennis federation (FITP) over the last 10-15 years. These reforms aimed to decentralize the coaching system, offering more financial, technical, and psychological support to young talents. Promising youngsters are now allowed to develop with their own coaches at home, supported by a network of intermediate training centers across the country. Private coaches are also kept informed of new methods by the federation’s “super-coaches,” driving further development.
The restructuring of Italy’s coaching system has coincided with a surge in grassroots participation, inspired by success stories like Sinner’s victory at the Australian Open, Italy’s Davis Cup win in 2023, and Matteo Berrettini’s historic run to the Wimbledon final in 2021. The number of registered club players has skyrocketed from around 129,000 in 2001 to 820,000 last year, making tennis the second most popular participation sport in Italy after soccer. Angelo Binaghi, the head of FITP, believes that Italy has solidified its position as a tennis powerhouse and has set ambitious goals to surpass one million registered players. This growth means more funding for the federation, resulting in enhanced facilities, coaching centers, and tournaments to nurture Italian tennis talent.
Italy is now at the forefront of hosting “challenger” tournaments, which provide young players with valuable experience below the ATP top level. The federation is actively providing wildcards to promising talents who would not have otherwise qualified, accelerating their development and exposure within the competitive tennis scene. This strategy has been successful in grooming talents like Federico Cina, a 17-year-old Sicilian who benefits from wildcards and the new decentralized training setup. Coached by his father in Palermo, Cina is a rising star in the junior rankings and has trained with top players like Carlos Alcaraz and Andrey Rublev. The FITP’s comprehensive support for all aspects of his game, including financial backing, tournament preparation, and mental coaching, has contributed to Cina’s success and growth as a promising young player on the international stage.
