Bertolucci: "Sinner is the slight favorite, but Djokovic can pull it off."

Djokovic is very solid, he still puts the ball where he wants… McEnroe said on the BBC that maybe against Sinner he has a slight advantage here on grass… What do you think?

I don't know if he has an advantage here on grass, it will certainly be a different match than the one in Paris, because he's already won so many times here and because, after breaking records of all races, species, and even religions and skin colors, here he's attempting the ultimate unrepeatable feat in tennis history. Reaching 25 Grand Slams and doing so by climbing two Everests in three days, first Sinner and then Alcaraz: I think it's the best epilogue, yet another unique, inimitable record. This possibility may seem like science fiction to many, but I'm convinced he firmly believes in it and it gives him the drive, the conviction that will make him step onto the court convinced he can do it.

Last year, however, he lost humiliatingly in the final against Alcaraz.

The problem is that at his age, not every day is the same. Last year, I too was convinced in the final that I would be able to watch a real match, but instead it was an execution because at his age, there are mornings when you wake up and your reflexes aren't as lively, your reaction time isn't as fast as usual, you have less strength, less fuel in the tank, and when you're on the court, you never have the fire you need. This could have happened yesterday, today, or tomorrow, you don't know: maybe today was a bad day, but today he's not playing.

So the chances of winning are 50/50?

No, for me, Sinner is slightly favored because he's number 1 and because if he keeps up the pace, he doesn't give Nole the chance or time to spin that web of his—the little peck, the cut, the dropshot, etc.—with which he's entangled his opponents for a lifetime. Sinner has to keep up the pace very high, always keeping his error percentage in mind... if he starts making mistakes, he'll be forced to slow down. There's no particular chemistry, eh?

Let's talk about Cobolli, looking to the future. He had a tournament he won't forget. How high can he go? What's missing for him to make a further leap in quality?

I've been convinced he'd become a very good player for a long time, but I had doubts about faster surfaces (there weren't any on clay). But his progress—and the results are evident—have erased those doubts. He's a complete player, he can perform well on all sides, he's cracked the top twenty, and I think the top ten isn't far off for him. Perhaps he'll need a year to gain some more experience, to mature further, to convince himself. He's got legs, he's got heart, he's got grit. He has a wonderful attitude, very calm on the court. In some ways, it almost seems as if he's in training, but no: he's a fearsome competitor.

Maybe yesterday he could have tried a few more short balls to wear down Nole?

It's not easy to hit the drop shot; to do so, you have to control the rally, otherwise you can't. Djokovic has never given him many opportunities to execute this shot. Cobolli played it twice, missed twice, and never made it again. He'll need to improve his volley, drop shot, and serve direction... previously, on clay, he only served outside kicks, like the Spanish did. Here, he's used different cuts, and for the little time he's played these courts, the results are excellent.

Fognini, with teary eyes, bid farewell to tennis yesterday: does he have any direct or indirect influence on the new generation? Except for Cobolli, who explicitly stated so.

He was the player who kept men's tennis alive when there was little or nothing. A great Davis Cup beast, gifted with a talent that was in some ways unrivaled. It's pointless to say, "He could have done this, he could have done that"... Everyone has their own character, and that's how he is: take it or leave it, he should be loved for who he is. Today's generations are fortunate to have a Sinner in front of them who leads the way... they stay behind and the spotlight is all on Sinner. Cobolli and Musetti can work in peace, and that's a huge advantage; the pressure is on the number 1, and if he loses a match it's a national tragedy. Musetti lost here: did anyone notice? No. And yet he's number 7 in the world, not number 120. It's fortunate for young players, who can grow up well and not have everyone breathing down their necks.

A word about the teams is worth mentioning: Sinner let go of Panichi and Badio; Paolini left Furlan, and now Lopez.

We used to travel alone and it was a different world. Now the players are their own entrepreneurs, they have seven or eight people on their payroll and there's no club or coach, it's the player who chooses...with precise rules when signing a contract. It's much worse than a marriage, because you're doing it with strangers and everything has to run smoothly, perfectly. As soon as something doesn't work, the whole thing breaks down. There are plenty of athletic trainers—Panichi is one of the best in the world, no doubt about it—and so are physiotherapists and managers. Djokovic, and even Federer, have changed a lot. What's the problem? When the marriage ends, there's nothing to say.

Paolini's breakup with Furlan had left everyone very surprised.

I don't know why she was there. Given the results, one might say "she made a mistake," but you have to ask her. Since I consider Renzo a great coach, I hope he finds the right player to work well with and take him to the top.

Sinner doesn't call him?

In my opinion, he wants a former number one or a coach who has coached a number one. And then someone who will keep quiet and maintain absolute silence on all fronts, who will be composed in the stands, at most clap their hands and, in truly tragic moments, stand up.

With the pace of tennis today, can we imagine Sinner and Alcaraz playing until Djokovic's age?

The same thing was said about Djokovic or Nadal... People used to say about Nadal, "After five years, this guy can't do it," but he played until he was 36 despite injuries. The fact is that today there's a different training methodology, a different diet; if you're not 1.90 meters tall, you don't even play at junior level; injuries are always lurking. But as you progress, you learn self-management and planning: Sinner is doing it well, Cobolli still has to learn because he plays too much.

The boom in Italian tennis has had side effects, such as criticism—of all kinds and tones—on social media directed at you commentators. In the end, perhaps it was easier to play?

(Laughs) Yes, because I was only answering to myself. The fact is that today, fortunately, we've broken out of that niche: before, we complained because TV ratings or newspaper sales were low... if you asked an editor to write a piece, he'd say, "What? About tennis? No way!" Now he calls you and asks for the piece. It's clear, however, that when the audience widens, you'll run into anyone: the graduate, the educated, the arrogant, the presumptuous, and so on. That's fine, the important thing is not to get scratched. Besides, yesterday I met an Englishman who came out with, "The biggest mistake Wimbledon made was giving the microphone to McEnroe." And that said it all.

Tennis in your era and today: obviously two different worlds. But what's not so great about that era?

The joviality of the locker room. We used to walk in feeling like we were all free in the barracks. We'd laugh, joke, talk. Now it's like walking into church: absolute silence, everyone in a corner with one, two, or three players from their team. Every now and then you hear "Hi," and then if you get to "How are you?" it's the ultimate . In the evenings, we'd go to dinner with the others, South Americans, French... Today they stay home, Sinner cooks. We had fun, even if we won less and earned less. They work very hard, they have fun on the pitch.

We saw your best wishes to Panatta on social media… what does August 3rd (Bertolucci's birthday, ed. ) have in store for you?

I spoke to him this morning, and he said he's offering a significant sum to writers, audio engineers, and those working on artificial intelligence. "Get ready," he told me.

But, jokes aside, will you celebrate together?

No, I don't want it! Although actually, now that I think about it, I'll see him soon in Forte dei Marmi, around the 20th.

Speaking of Forte dei Marmi, there's an Adriano whose last name isn't Panatta but he's his nephew... How do you see him?

I don't know, you'll have to ask grandpa who doesn't understand a thing about tennis.