The Italian Davis Cup tennis team will have to do without Jannik Sinner and Lorenzo Musetti for the group stage scheduled for next week in BolognaCaptain Filippo Volandri has announced the official call-ups for the Italian quintet that will take to the field in Group A at the Unipol Arena from Tuesday 10 to Sunday 15 September, with the reigning champions Italy facing Brazil, Belgium and Holland.
The following players have been called to represent Italy to defend the title won last year in Malaga Matteo Berrettini, Matteo Arnaldi, Flavio Cobolli, Andrea Vavassori and Simone Bolelli. «Today’s choices are the result of the reflections and discussions of these days with the whole team, present and absent – explains captain Volandri – with respect to the latter, as always we have tried to match the needs of the team with those of my boys, because we have the objective of passing the round also protecting their physical and psychological health to remain competitive until the end of the season. As for Jannik who has given us his availability for the final part of the commitment in Bologna, in agreement with the federal leaders and the boy’s staff, we have decided to relieve him from the call-up allowing him a full recovery, and to have the team complete from the initial match».
“Lorenzo (Musetti, ed.) told us he needed to take a break for a few days, after the tour de force he has undergone in recent months, also for his participation in the Olympics and, in this case too, in agreement with the Federation, I decided for his sake and that of the team to allow him to recover an optimal psychophysical condition. Therefore, the group that will take to the field in Bologna will be strong, motivated and at this time the best equipped to face the opposing teams and to earn the Finals in Malaga.”
“After a meeting with the captain, the team and the staff of the Fitp, where we evaluated my current psychophysical condition, and the objectives that concern us from now until the end of the year, we have mutually agreed on the decision that I will not be in Bologna for the Davis Cup – Musetti’s words on social media – it was a difficult choice and I am sorry to have to give up this new important appointment with the blue jersey that I care a lot about. I am sure that the boys will assert themselves, I will cheer with the same passion with which I defended the blue colors in Paris, and I hope to meet my teammates again in Malaga”.
Italy will make their debut at the ‘Unipol Arena’ on Wednesday 11 September, at 3pm, against Brazil, then at the same time on Friday 13th the challenge with Belgium while on Sunday 15th, again at 3pm, the match against Holland.
