Just a few days after his partnership with Fabio Fognini was announced, I met the new head coach hired by the Ligurian tennis player, former world N.8 Alberto Mancini.
During his career, he won three ATP tournaments – Bologna in 1988, Monte-Carlo (defeating both Wilander and Becker in the process) and Rome (saving a match point against Agassi) in 1989 – and reached the quarterfinals at Roland Garros, his best result in a Grand Slam tournament.
He also reached the final in Rome 1991, retiring in the third set against Emilio Sanchez, and he finished as the runner-up in Key Biscayne versus Chang, in Kitzbuhel against Sampras and in Stuttgart, beaten by Stich.
As the team captain, he led the Argentine Davis Cup team to the final twice, in 2006 and 2008. After losing to Spain – then led by Lopez and Verdasco – at home, he opted to resign his position. In his career he coached Mariano Puerta, then in 2003-04 Guillermo Coria, and finally Pablo Cuevas during the past four and a half years.
THE CHAT
Mancini reminisces on his victories and some of the opponents he has beaten – especially in his best year, 1989, in Rome and Monte Carlo – but he’s all too aware that his career could have been a lot more successful if he hadn’t had so many physical struggles: “I started getting injured early on in my career. It took me one year to recover from shoulder surgery, but I was never the same player again, and retired early.” Despite these issues, he always had a good relationship with his fellow countrymen from that era, whom he knew from his early days – Davin, Perez Roldan, and Martín Jaite, the latter being a little older: “I was always close with Franco and Guillermo [Davin and Perez-Roldan], because we grew up together in the junior ranks.”
I asked him about his memories and anecdotes about Maradona, a legend who sadly died on November 25th. Mancini is a supporter of Rosario’s Newell’s Old Boys, even though he was born in Misiones, in the north of the country: “I had been playing tennis since I was 5, because of my brother and my father. My idols back then were Vilas, Clerc too, more than the football players, but he was still an icon to me.” As Davis Cup Captain, Mancini remembers when Maradona came to the locker room to encourage the team and inspired everybody with his determination and enthusiasm: “I have fond memories of Diego, when I won in Rome in 1989 he was still playing in Italy, and our matches used to happen at the same time, but he kept checking how I was faring. He sent me a video for my birthday this year recalling those days – he always followed Argentine tennis very closely and had a good rapport with David Nalbandian. He loved playing for Argentina and always passed that sentiment to our players.”
Alberto told me a little about himself and his results, then about his career as a coach, which didn’t start right away: “After I retired, I didn’t want to have anything to do with the game, but after a while I came back to it, starting with Mariano Puerta in 1998-99.” He did his best work with Coria who, under his coaching, became number 4 in the world starting from the 70th spot; the two separated in 2004, after the Australian Open and before he lost the final at Roland Garros against Gaudio: “We maintained a good rapport, we live close by and he has played many times for me in the Davis Cup. I also worked with Nicolas Lapentti and then I spent the last four years and a half with Pablo Cuevas, who is a great person and has one of the most beautiful backhands in the world.”
A NEW JOURNEY
Later on, we got to the part that obviously interests the Italian fans the most. “He (Fognini) hired because he wants to finish out his career at the same high level he has maintained for the past decade. His agent called me, then I talked a little with Fabio and we instantly connected.” Alberto’s wife and three children elected to stay home – they will occasionally follow him but by now they are used to his job, which forces him to travel around the world. “When I could, I always brought them along, it’s common practice for every coach in the world.”
His first assessment of Fognini is glowing, although not devoid of caveats: “He’s exceptionally talented, and I believe that he can still be a top player. If he retains the same drive, then he can get over the injuries he’s had and hold his own against everybody, because his game is flawless. Franco Davin coached him and so we talked about him, but I’m not telling you what he said! All I know is that hard work and motivation are the only keys to success. I am more of a strategy-and-technique guy, so that’s what we will focus on with Fabio and the personal trainer I work with, Alejandro Lacour.”
This is an exciting time for Italian tennis – will Fognini use the rise of so many youngsters as a personal fuel? “We haven’t talked about it, but he certainly might. However, I think that his focus is his own performance and his own window of success. Berrettini is a player who has grown a lot in the last couple years, while Sinner is an incredible talent, he works very hard and generates winners with ease.”
Switching back to Fognini, there is a lot to love in his particular brand of tennis: “His reading of the game is impeccable, and the power of his backhand is outstanding. He is not very tall, so we will work on improving his serve, particularly his ball toss.”
Training has now begun (with Covid masks!), but there’s no idea yet as to when the season in Australia will start. However, it’s always best to focus on what can be controlled: “We are currently in San Remo, but we also have training sessions planned in Bordighera at the Piatti Academy along with Sinner, as well as in Monte-Carlo with Dimitrov, Wawrinka, Djokovic and all of the other players who train there.” Quite a good foundation to build on.
Translated by Michele Brusadelli; edited by Tommaso Villa
