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Team Italy captain Filippo Volandri, recently winner of the 2023 Davis Cup, received the Italian ASI Sport&Cultura Award, in the Athlete of the Year category, beating competition from sporting countrymen such as Francesco Bagnaia and Gianmarco Tamberi.
The ceremony, organized by Italian Sports and Social Associations, was held in the Hall of Honor of CONI in Rome. Volandri, on the sidelines of the awards ceremony, took advantage of this and spoke about the future of Jannik Sinner and Matteo Berrettini.
Volandri on his guys
The captain of the Davis Cup Team Italy explained: “Jannik Sinner is working to become No.1 of the ATP ranking. He can do this, win a Slam and even more than one. What I like is that he is working for this, then we will see how much It’ll take time.” Volandri then talked about Matteo Berrettini.
The Italian player ended his 2023 tennis career at the US Open due to the ankle injury he suffered. Berrettini will start from a new direction, because he has interrupted the historic collaboration with VIncenzo Santopadre.
The former Wimbledon finalist has decided to rely on Francisco Roig, former coach of Rafael Nadal. “Berrettini is well, he is training. He is restructuring the team and this is important because he gives new stimuli. Fingers crossed.
The other guys are also all in winter preparation in the few weeks they have available after Davis, but with the enthusiasm of the victory giving them a boost for the future. The team is young, we aim to win the Davis Cup with Berrettini,” explained Volandri.
About Sinner, after the player most loved by the fan awards, and his coaches Simone Vagnozzi and Darren Cahill, awarded as coach of the year, the young Italian tennis player also won the Most improved of player of the year.
A goal that certifies the excellent year of the Italian, who had earned the nomination from the ATP together with Matteo Arnaldi, Christopher Eubanks and Ben Shelton, who were all beaten by the Italian tennis player, who is training to start the 2024 tennis season the best possible way.
