The forehand
My main weapon. Also responsible for the unforced errors that irritate me most. A complicated relationship.
01 / ON COURT
A long-running affair.
I started at ten, took a rather long changeover between sixteen and thirty, and eventually found my way back. Today I play once or twice a week, mostly singles with friends at Harbour Club Milano. Competitive? Yes. Entirely at peace with my game? Working on it.
1–2
TIMES A WEEK
Mostly singles. Always a challenge.
02 / THE GAME PLAN
Attack first.
Figure it out later.
I play aggressively, even on the points that matter. I like opponents who attack too, and tend to play better against stronger players. A higher bar helps me find my game.
The backhand
Two hands, plenty of room for improvement. The ongoing project within the ongoing project.
The serve
Decent on a good day. The second serve remains a delicate negotiation.
THE KIT
White or black overgrip. No strong feelings.
03 / FROM THE STANDS
A fan of the whole game.
I follow the entire professional circuit. Different players, different reasons to watch. These four capture a few of the things I love about tennis.
Roger Federer
The backhand
Jannik Sinner
The mindset
Alexander Bublik
The flair
Lorenzo Musetti
The elegance
SEEN LIVE
Rome · Monte-Carlo · Roland Garros
ATP Finals · Los Angeles · US Open
Matches that stay with me.
Federer–Wawrinka
London · 7–6 in the third set.
Djokovic–Murray
Rome 2011 · Semi-final.
THE ONE I WISH I’D SEEN
Federer–Nadal
Australian Open 2017
04 / WHAT STAYS
Sunday mornings.
And the next generation.
One of my favourite memories is playing with my father on Sunday mornings. Now my daughter is starting to play. The game changes, the challenge continues — and there is something lovely about seeing it begin again.