Melbourne’s Extreme Heatwave: Tennis Adapts and Italian Players Prepare
Melbourne is currently experiencing an extreme heatwave, with temperatures soaring above 46 degrees, driven by the desert wind blowing from the interior of the island-continent towards the coast. In response, Italian tennis players Jannik Sinner and Lorenzo Musetti have chosen to train indoors at the National Tennis Center, located within Melbourne Park, to avoid the harsh conditions.
The two Italians will return to the field tomorrow, with Lorenzo Musetti set to play against Novak Djokovic at 4:30 am Italian time, and Jannik Sinner facing Ben Shelton at 7 pm local time, which is 9 am in Italy. Fortunately, the weather forecast indicates improving conditions, and the heatwave is expected to subside, giving way to more humane temperatures.
Training and Preparations
Jannik Sinner worked indoors with a left-handed sparring player from the Australian academy, simulating some of the solutions he will encounter in his upcoming match against Ben Shelton. The training session focused on targeted exercises, with particular attention to diagonal exchanges of the backhand and high-intensity phases of play. Sinner’s physical condition appears to be improving, with still evident margins for growth.
In contrast, Ben Shelton trained on the same fields almost at the same time as Sinner, but the Italian player arrives with confidence. Sinner also took a moment to express his thoughts on the situation in Southern Italy, affected by Cyclone Harry, saying, “I send a hug to all the people affected by Cyclone Harry – I think above all of the children: I know that words are of little use in these cases, if I could have a magic potion I would use it… but I send them a lot of strength, I think it is the thought of every athlete who is here”.
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Additional Insights and Preparations
Interestingly, Novak Djokovic also trained at the same time as Sinner, on a court close to that of the Italian, but avoided prying eyes. Lorenzo Musetti also conducted his training session indoors, with Matteo Gribaldo as his sparring partner. The young Italian, eliminated in the junior tournament, managed to keep up the pace of the exchange, offering a useful test to Musetti, who appeared fluent in his shots and precise in his executions.
Musetti’s technical reference point, Jose Perlas, was present during the training session, providing guidance and support in the absence of Simone Tartarini. The feeling is that both Sinner and Musetti have the potential to secure a semi-final spot, a dream that Italian tennis has been nurturing. With their dedication and hard work, they are well-prepared to face their upcoming matches.
For more information on the Australian Open and the progress of Sinner and Musetti, visit Here