The Italian Paolo Bertolucci (Forte dei Marmi, 71 years old) was a notable tennis player of the seventies. His top in his ranking was number 12 and he won six tournaments in singles and twelve in doubles, with his inseparable Adriana Panatta. His best result in a Grand Slam was the 1973 Roland Garros quarterfinals, although his contribution to Italy lifting the 1976 Davis Cup in an iconic and controversial final, played in Santiago against Chile in the midst of Pinochet’s dictatorship, gave him great world fame.
In addition, when he hung up his racket and gave way to the media, he became a true celebrity in his country. Renowned tennis commentator on Sky Italia channels and columnist at La Gazzetta dello Sport, Bertolucci has become one of the most accurate, respected and poignant analysts on the circuit. His way of commenting on tennis on television is different from that of the others. He is a special guy and he likes to put on a show. “What this boy is doing is not human. Call the police please », he released in the recent Wimbledon final between Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic, when the Murcian made an ace in the last set with a second service that went at 175 kilometers per hour.
«He has things from the big three and he is a total phenomenon. Let’s say that it is the prototype of the tennis player of the future”, emphasizes the commentator and columnist
Bertolucci, in an interview published this week by Jot Down Magazine, has declared himself an absolute admirer of Carlos Alcaraz’s tennis, whom he considers the “clear heir to the Big Three.” He believes that he will dominate the circuit for the next decade. «He is the great heir to the Big Three because there was no one at the age of 20 who played tennis like that. He is complete. He is great on any surface. Let’s say that he is the prototype of the tennis player of the future. He is complete physically and technically. I have seen a lot of tennis, and I did not see anyone like this at 20 years old, “says the transalpine, one of those analysts who are not used to giving praise. On the contrary, he is usually quite critical.
“It’s a total phenomenon”
«Now, it is not known where he will arrive because that is where intangibles such as physicality, the competition he may have or the hunger for victory come into play. Everything seems to indicate that he will continue writing pages and pages of tennis successes because yes, he has things from the big three. It is a complete phenomenon. He is physically and technically complete. He does everything: He serves well, dominates the rest of the forehand, has a great backhand, goes up to the net and liquidates with a good smash, makes great drop shots… He does everything very quickly. In addition, it is resistant, ”says Bertolucci.
From the Italian, in the aforementioned interview, they draw the usual comparison between Rafa Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz. And Bertolucci is very clear about it. «They are both incredible tennis players, but Nadal suffers on the field. He is outstanding, but he suffers on the track. Roger Federer was crystal clear technique, but he wasn’t smiling. Alcaraz, however, has fun. He reminds me, in football, of Ronaldinho. He is seen enjoying when he plays tennis. In ten years I don’t see anyone who overshadows him. In one or two years I imagine Djokovic will retire. That is why I think that if Alcaraz’s physique respects him, he will be at the top for a decade », he predicts.
Finally, Bertolucci refers to his compatriot Jannik Sinner, who is called to fight Alcaraz for all the big titles in the future. «He has not reached the maximum of him, but it is normal. He is a serious boy, very hard-working. He harbors a lot of quality, although he has to further enhance the technique. 2025 is the year to find out who Sinner is. Now it is still early », he sentences.
Movistar+ snatches the rights to the US Open from Eurosport
The television rights of the US Open, the last Grand Slam of the season that promises an intense battle between Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic from Murcia, change hands in Spain. Unlike in recent years, in which it could be followed through Eurosport, the 2023 edition will be broadcast entirely on Movistar+. “The US Open joins the great competitions of the infinite stadium,” Movistar + announced yesterday in a statement. The main matches will be broadcast on sports channels, while customers who have not contracted the sports package may subscribe to the US Open for 14 euros. The tournament will be played from August 28 to September 10. This is the first major move by Movistar+ since the arrival of Enric Rojas as sports director in April. Rojas was at Kosmos, Gerard Piqué’s company, and previously spent 13 years at IMG, the multinational for which the Catalan Albert Molina, Alcaraz’s manager, works.
2023-08-02 22:52:05
#Paolo #Bertolucci #Rafa #Nadal #Carlos #Alcaraz #fun
