Italian tennis star opens up on panic attacks amid ‘enormous pressure’

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Lorenzo Musetti has revealed the extra work he’s putting in to avoid a repeat of last year’s fiasco at the Firenze Open, where a panic attack preceded a straight-sets defeat to Felix Auger-Aliassime. Playing in front of a home crowd in Florence, the Italian experienced a clear dip in performance midway through the match and later detailed the reason why.

Eager to ensure the breakdown doesn’t form a habit, Musetti has introduced a new form of ‘training’ to combat the issue. Although his head-on attitude to the matter is to be admired, it’s a reminder of the considerable burden the sport’s top athletes are often put under to produce in pursuit of their goals.

“Tennis is a very demanding sport and there is enormous pressure,” the 20-year-old told ESPN. “It is not easy to be alone on the court and have to face all the problems. Sometimes that pressure has overwhelmed me, but I am working hard with a specialist so that it doesn’t happen again.”

All in a day’s work for one of tennis’ ‘Next Gen’ talents, who has been tipped as a future superstar of the sport. Musetti first started catching attention at the 2021 French Open when he advanced to the fourth round in his debut major and led Novak Djokovic by two sets before succumbing to the world No. 1.

While the Firenze Open didn’t go to plan following his panic attack, it’s worth noting Auger-Aliassime—another highly respected member of his Next Gen class—went on to lift the title. Musetti also made two ATP finals in Hamburg and Naples earlier in 2022, defeating respective opponents Carlos Alcaraz and Matteo Berrettini to win each time.

That’s enough proof to suggest the up-and-comer can indeed deal with high-pressure circumstances and prove his fall in Florence was an anomaly. The youngster only turned professional in 2019 but already boasts some impressive records against the world’s elite and is currently ranked 20th on the ATP Tour.

That includes two wins from five meetings with fellow starlet Auger-Aliassime, a win over former world No. 1 Alcaraz, and 1-0 records against the likes of Berettini, Casper Ruud and Stanislas Wawrinka. His Grand Slam output has left some to be desired following first-round exits in four of the past five majors, but Musetti has more time than most to improve.

As for his expectations heading into 2023, Musetti displays a maturity beyond his years when he says he’s motivated to focus on himself. That being said, there are certain past opponents who have caught his attention more than most, using their examples as inspiration for his own climb to the summit.

“Everyone has their way, I have to focus on mine,” he continued. “I am clear that Carlos [Alcaraz] is going to continue doing incredible things like last year and will win more Grand Slam titles, as will Djokovic. Only by working hard will I have a chance to get closer to his level.”

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