Italy gets off to a bad start against Argentina,
MALAGA (Gaia Piccardi) Starting worse in the title defense was difficult. Lorenzo Musetti surrenders 6-4, 6-1 to the Argentine Francisco Cerundolo, number 30 in the world, an opponent who seems like a giant in the festival of eight breaks that dot the first singles of Italy-Argentina, the quarter-final of the Davis Cup which is already an Everest to climb. Musetti, chosen by coach Volandri as Italy’s number two to preserve Matteo Berrettini in view of a possible (hopefully) double play-off, pays for the 23 days of absence from competitive tennis (last match the defeat against Struff in the first round of Paris Bercy ), slowly sinks into the Argentine swamp without ever giving the impression of having entered the match and hands himself over to his rival. If the first set, at least, until 4-4 is left and restarted, in short fought, in the second Lorenzo is adrift in the hands of Cerundolo, who does what he wants. Trying to do the difficult things, instead of clinging like a castaway to the easy ones, is not an attitude that helps the blue, while at the changes of pitch Volandri tries to do everything to revive him. In vain.
Cerundolo emerges from the fifty shades of blue of the national team against the Albiceleste with his head held high and now it’s up to Jannik Sinner to act as the savior of the homeland, a role he had already worn with ease last year. A victory for the number one in the ranking, fresh from the triumph at the ATP Finals with Baez, world no. 27, would put us back on track in view of a semi-final on Saturday against Australia, who surprisingly eliminated the United States 2-1. It is a Cup that is served to us on a silver tray, but you have to reach out to take it. But it’s still a long way off.
Swiss
