Biofile Paolo Lorenzi Interview

By Scoop Malinowski

Status: Former ATP champion of Kitzbuhel. Highest singles ranking was no. 33. 

DOB: December 15, 1981  In: Rome, Italy

First Tennis Memory:  When I was playing with my older brother Bruno. I remember when he was taking a lesson, he had 50 minutes, then the last ten minutes with the coach was for me. I was six. That is my first memory of tennis.

Tennis Inspirations: My parents. My brother of course. I was the little one and I was trying to follow him.

Tennis Heroes:  Boris Becker when I was younger. Because my brother was for Stefan Edberg, so I had to find someone else [smiles].

Last Book Read: Right now, Donato Carrisi. It’s an Italian thriller.

Current Car: I drive a (brown) Mitsubishi here (in Sarasota, FL).

First Famous Tennis Player You Met or Encountered:  It was Pat Cash in an exhibition in Florence, I was eight or nine. I was going there to watch.

Greatest Sports Moment: When I won Kitzbuhel (defeated Nikoloz Basilashvili in 2016). It was my best memory. My first ATP title, it was great.

Most Painful Moment: I think last year, because I was injured for the first time. I broke my fascia, in the foot. Pretty big injury. I was 35 years old and I never had an injury. So of course, that one was tough. If you’re talking about a match, was against Simon in Indian Wells. I was 6-3 5-2 40-15. So that was pretty painful.

Best You Ever Felt On Court:  When I was a set up against Rafa in Rome (76 46 06 in 2011).  It was one of the first times I was playing in a big stadium. I was in Italy. I won the first set. I was feeling great. I was without pressure. It was a great feeling.

Funny Tennis Memory:  I had really good memories when I was playing some doubles with my friend Enrico Becuzzi. We played a lot of doubles in Challengers. With him I had a lot of fun.

Strangest Match:  I think last year in Houston during the Challenger was one of the coldest. It was zero degrees. They gave us things for the hands to stay hot. I never played in that cold, was the first time in my life.

Favorite Sport Outside Tennis:  Of course I’m Italian so I love football. When I have time, I’m a fan of Florentina. So when I have time I always go to watch some matches.

Three Athletes You Like To Watch & Follow:  That’s a good question…we cannot talk about tennis because it’s too easy. I think right now, if I have to ask, I would like to speak to some coaches, some great coaches like Arrigo Sacchi, coach if Italian World Cup team that made finals in USA in 1994, and Jose Mourinho. I would like to speak with the great coaches. I’ve been curious how they speak to the big locker room like in football. They have a lot of players. In tennis the coach just speak with one player. I think it’s hard to speak with a big team. The coach is someone also who doesn’t have to play. So I’m really curious to speak with them.

Embarrassing Tennis Memory:  I don’t know. You feel embarrassed because you’re playing really bad [smiles]. But right now I don’t have one. I don’t break many racquets so I didn’t have one really embarrassing time.

Fiercest Competitors Encountered:  I’m pretty lucky because my career would be so long not to find some. I’m not afraid about any competitor because I’m just thinking about myself. But I think in the future we have lots of good players, in Italy we’re lucky because we have Lorenzo Musetti, Matteo Berrettini, Lorenzo Sonego, Jannik Sinner, some young ones. But also if we look around, we have some young ones like Frances Tiafoe, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Alexander Zverev. So I think tennis will have a great future.

Why Do You Love Tennis:  It’s my passion. Since when I was kid, every time that I’m on court I’m happy. And it’s what I still love. If you give me one court, one ball, one opponent, that’s my life.

Favorite Ice Cream Flavor:  It’s chocolate.

People Qualities Most Admired:  I like to have good food, good wine, with some friends. Most of my friends own restaurants. I really love the good food. To be with good friends is one of the best gifts that we can have.

Scoop’s eighth tennis book Facing Marat Safin is available at amazon for $9.99.

Italy · Paolo Lorenzi · Sarasota Open

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