«A few minutes have passed since we became world champions. I struggle to describe in words what I feel right now, I decided to do it straight away, with my heart still beating so fast. In recent years we have become more than a group, we have become a family.” Thus begins the letter that the captain of the national tennis team, Tathiana Garbinhe wrote to the Italians after the conquest, in Malaga, of the Billie Jean King Cup.
«Just like a family, you were close to me in the most difficult moments – the former player underlines in a video posted by the federation, referring to the tumor she had to face last year -. The bond we have created goes beyond tennis and for this I say thank you: thank you for the passion with which you have honored this shirt, both in victories and in defeats. Thank you for keeping hope after coming close to this milestone last year. I know you well and I know that, in a few days, you will be back on the field, improving as you have done in recent years. But this evening, just for this evening, I want you to take some time to think about what you have done, I want you to think about all the hours of training, the sacrifices you and your families have made since you were children. You did it, you are world champions. Remember this, aware of the fact that no one will take this away from you. I’m proud of you. I love you.”