“It is a triumph that was born over the years, in the sacrifices of many people. We have arrived here, in the final, for the third time and I believe there could not have been a better script for the signature of this triumph”. The president of the Ct Vela is beaming, Antonio Barbera. He succeeded in bringing the tennis championship to the city for the first time in history.
“It’s beautiful, it’s everyone’s victory. Of those who won on the pitch – and it’s extraordinary that two boys from Messina like Fausto and Giorgio signed it – but also of those who weren’t there and worked all day year to allow us to get here. We are Italian champions.” The captain of the Peloritani, Francesco Caputo, was also very happy and explained the state of mind of the Messina team when they were down 3-1 after the singles: “We said to ourselves that we had come this far and we had to play until the end. One match after another , one set after another we accomplished the feat.” Sports director Salvi Contino instead talks about the choice to send Fausto and Giorgio Tabacco back onto the pitch for the decisive doubles match: “We didn’t even ask them – he smiles – we know them: we knew they were already ready”.