Musetti: “With Perlas I work on my body with the aim of reaching Sinner and Alcaraz”

Eugenio Trevissoi

December 29 – 7.28pm – MILANO

Time to take stock and make resolutions for the new year. In the sights of Lorenzo Musetti, currently at number 8 in the ATP ranking, there are always those two: “To reach Sinner and Alcaraz I have to work very hard from a physical point of view, which I am doing, I need more time to prepare” he declared during an interview given on Youtube to Gill Gross. “Last year I only played against Jannik once, at the US Open, and it was a very tough defeat because I couldn’t express myself at all. I was well below his level.” However, the feelings about Carlos Alcaraz are different: “Against him I think I played good tennis, especially on clay, and sometimes I even found myself ahead like in Monte Carlo or Roland Garros. To maintain this level I always ended up hurting myself.”

the new pearls

—

Musetti also spoke about the new coach, José Perlas, who “will be able to bring more experience and advice” and will work alongside the historic coach Simone Tartarini. “I felt the need for something more to see what someone else could bring,” Musetti further explained: “The relationship with Simone Tartarini goes beyond tennis, but I think that adding a figure in the team like Perlas is something I’ve wanted for a long time without having either the courage or the real need that I felt this year to take this step forward and try to close the gap with the two leaders of the circuit. Nothing is guaranteed but I’m trying: I’m working on the details, on the mental part, on nutrition, to be able to improve even just 1%.”

towards the new season

—

“We are working hard to start well from Australia”, assures Musetti. Even on serve, but without upheavals: “I haven’t changed my movement, the one I saw at the US Open also gives me confidence on hard courts and I think it’s important for me and for my game if I want to be aggressive from the first shot. I’ll continue to work on it, it’s the first objective.” The final comment is on the MGM Slam in Las Vegas, an exhibition tournament to be held in March with a million dollars at stake. The blue is among the participants: “I never play thinking about the prize money. Of course, money is important, it allows my family to live a comfortable life; but I play for passion and to be able to share it with my children and my family”.