Smudge226 wrote:

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Where did all these young Italians suddenly come from? It's as if they just opened a new factory..

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Arnaldi's actually 24, so a year older than Jack.

Smudge226 wrote:

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Jan wrote:

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Lovely stress-free match for Jack!
6-2 6-2

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 Wow! Ruddy hell that was quick, I was hoping to catch a bit of that.

Where did all these young Italians suddenly come from? It's as if they just opened a new factory..

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 Its been growing for a few years - seemed to start off the back of big investment in lots of ITF and Challenger events which gave tournament opportunities to lots of players within Italy, without travel costs etc. 

From there they have also raised the profile of the big events, taking the Tour Finals for men to Turin initially and now for 5 more years through 2030 at a venue and city to be named; The Davis Cup Finals are to be played in Bologna at the end of this year (the final 8, not just a group stage); and Italian Open in Rome has got a big upgrade in terms of the stadia etc 

So they have invested heavily at both the bottom (for volume of players and opportunity) and the top (for profile, and to give the top players those same home opportunities) and it has paid off, handsomely.

Added to that, they have heavy administration presence with Guadenzi leading the ATP.  

For me, Italy is the new Spain but with a difference that the Italian players seem to have genuinely different styles and flair compared to the monochrome clay courters Spain kicked out - Berrettini, Musetti, Arnaldi, Sonego, Cobolli, Darderi, Bellucci, Nardi, Passaro are a varied bunch of Top 100 men, and then with Paolini, Bronzetti, Cocciaretto for the women, Vavassori and Bolelli in mens doubles and Errani (and Paolini again) top 10 in womens doubles 

It is impressive, very impressive.

indiana wrote:

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Yes, I still recall a few years ago, that when someone suggested the increased number of domestic tournaments seemed to have helped progress a good number of Italian players, some LTA bod saying that it was coincidence. Gone from strength to strength since.

Not seen him around for few months but I've heard that that Jannik Sinner chap is worth watching too 

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 I have no idea why I didnt name call Sinner ! 

But yes! 

JonH comes home wrote:

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Musetti saw off AdM - won MC as well, clearly a man to beat on clay.

Last 8 then:

Cerundolo v Mensik

Ruud v Medvedev

Jack D v Arnaldi

Musetti v Diallo

It is definitely do able but there are some good clay court players left in there. A title would be hard to see for Jack, very unlikely maybe, but one match at a time and lets see where it lands!

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 He lost to Alcaraz in the final at MC