A Locker Room Huddle, A Tough Decision & Redemption For Italy

Fabio Fognini was not happy with his level in a straight-sets defeat against Dennis Novak, which put Italy in a hole on Tuesday. But at the ATP Cup, players sometimes are given an opportunity to earn immediate redemption.

An impressive win by Matteo Berrettini against World No. 3 Dominic Thiem and a quick locker room huddle later, Fognini was awarded that chance. Italy defeated Austria 2-1 in Group C action.

“About singles, it's tough to say something. Of course, I played really bad. I was not feeling really good,” Fognini said. “After Matteo’s singles we went in the locker room, we spoke all together. The captain asked me if I wanted to play doubles. I said, ‘Okay, I'm ready. Of course, I want to play.’”

Just a couple hours earlier, Fognini was steaming inside John Cain Arena, frustrated at the abundance of unforced errors he was making against Novak. But he came out for the doubles match refreshed, and played at a much higher level to help Berrettini beat Novak and Thiem 6-1, 6-4.

“We are happy. In this kind of situation when we play in a team, [how I feel] is not important, in my opinion,” Fognini said. “But I think for everybody who is not going to play, it is important to win the tie.”

Berrettini was on the opposite end of the confidence spectrum as his countryman following a nearly flawless performance against reigning US Open champion Thiem. But as the Italians discussed their plans in the locker room, Berrettini had to reset in his own way. His win against Thiem would mean little if they did not win the doubles match.

“For sure it's easier when you win than when you lose. I was feeling confident, obviously. I was really happy for the way I played the singles. I was still feeling the adrenaline. I didn't have a lot of time. Vincenzo told me, ‘I would like you to play, are you ready?’ I was like, ‘Obviously, yes,’” Berrettini said. “I changed my shirt and I was ready to step in. Like I said, I used the energy and that the confidence that I felt during my singles to play my best doubles.”

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Italian captain Vincenzo Santopadre faced a tough decision as far as who he would select to compete in doubles. Simone Bolelli won the 2015 Australian Open doubles title alongside Fognini, and Andrea Vavassori is a Top 100 doubles player, so he had no shortage of options.

“To me it’s very important, I want to say thanks to Andrea and Simone because, of course, it's not easy to say to a player that they were not going to play the doubles. They were ready to play,” Santopadre said. “They were really nice to understand that there was the team in front of them. So I am happy because I know these two guys well, especially Simone.

“[It] was a tough choice. I'm really happy because they understood me and they have put the team in front of their own interests.”

from Tennis - ATP World Tour https://ift.tt/3raYYSQ