Lorenzo
Sonego
Karate Kid
The Internazionali di Roma are the golden showcase of Italian tennis, especially at a time when our movement is producing talent and results like never before. This year's tournament at the Foro Italico, which started on 9 May, will be a great celebration for our players. We spoke to Lorenzo Sonego, the new EA7 athlete and number 48 in the ATP rankings, about his expectations on court and his passions beyond the racket in the new chapter of More Than. "The clay court season has started now, Monte Carlo, Madrid, Rome and finally Roland Garros. The goal is to do very well in one of these tournaments and get a best ranking," he tells us on the eve of the Monaco tournament. Sonego has a special feeling with the Foro Italico, as when in the 2021 edition he made it all the way to the semi-finals, even snatching a set from His Majesty Novak Djokovic. He is indeed a tennis player who knows how to excite with racket in hand and deliver outstanding games when he gets into his zone. Just look at how he came back against Humbert of France in the last Monte Carlo Masters 1000, defending 4 match points and cheering with the scarf of Torino, his favorite team.
Sonego is a great fighter on the court, willing to push for every point and get his EA7 suit dirty if there is even the slightest chance of hitting the ball over the net. And it's this combative nature that defines his style on the court. With the headband tied behind his head to keep his long black hair from flying wildly, he resembles a karateka ready for battle. "With the headband, I feel a bit more like a warrior on the pitch, a bit like Karate Kid. It makes me feel closer to him, someone who never gives up." In a sport as codified in style as tennis, sometimes it's the details that make up a player's personality and aesthetic. "Now the headband is used a lot, more than the cap, so it's comfortable to wear even for those with long hair," Sonego points out. "I try to be a stylish player in my shots, but also a fighter who is not afraid to get dirty and give his soul on the court."
His fiery temperament, however, has to find comfort and freedom of movement in the equipment he wears to engage in impossible baseline chases or two-handed backhand shots. "The most important thing when playing is definitely the comfort of my clothes, but I also like variety and always have something innovative and different." The relationship between the Turin tennis player and Giorgio Armani's sports brand shows how much the sport is coming back into fashion, even among the general public, and athletes are establishing themselves as role models off the court. “In Italy, there are a lot of nice guys who play tennis,” jokes Sonego, “and that also helps brands to choose them as testimonials”. Besides, tennis has always been an elegant sport, and many of its clothes can also be found in everyday life. "Style and fashion are very important in Italy, so it's fundamental for us Italian players to dress well.”
A big part of that is the fashion brands that tailor styles for the athletes they sponsor, like EA7 with Lorenzo Sonego. “We have only just started working together, but it's a brand I have been following since I was a kid. The name is very well known in both the sports and fashion worlds and I immediately established a very good, friendly and trusting relationship with them and hope that we can continue this journey together as much as possible." And for Sonego, this relationship goes beyond the pitch, as he is very interested in the brand and the lifestyle world. "It's certainly the first time I have worked with such an important brand, but it's nice to work with them, to do something different and to be on set. I like it, it's a lot of fun and challenging," he reveals as we photograph him in various looks from the current EA7 season.
“Of course, it is important not to think about tennis all day, but to have moments when you can distract yourself and do something else. That takes away some of the pressure and monotony, that's very important for me."
“Of course, it is important not to think about tennis all day, but to have moments when you can distract yourself and do something else. That takes away some of the pressure and monotony, that's very important for me."
It's a way of taking time out from tennis, a sport where the mental realm is as important as the technical and physical, and finding the right balance in the stressful life of an athlete where every stroke is crucial. "Of course it's important not to think about tennis all day, but to have moments when you can distract yourself and do something else. That takes away some of the pressure and monotony, that's very important for me. And every player experiences it differently”. He has decided to dedicate these moments to his other great passion besides tennis, music. Together with his lifelong friend Edoardo Pepe, also known as AlterEdo, he started writing and recording music. "It all started as a joke, as we wrote songs together for fun when we were kids. Then when we realized we had actually reached a million streams on Spotify, we started laughing". The song is 'Un solo secondo', a summer hit that mixes Latin rhythms and R&B sounds and was an unexpected success for the two friends.
"It's also a way to switch off, music is a passion of mine and I want to keep writing and singing. What matters more to me than call-ins and ratings is having fun and being with my friends, going into the studio to record, writing the verses and finally creating a song together with Edoardo. To then do it with one of my best friends is very special and fun." However, Sonego prefers to keep his two great passions separate - 'of course then it's even nicer if there's a tennis reference, but that's not something I am looking for' - and admits that it's usually the other side of the couple that writes the lyrics. Music is both a way for Sonego to get on court and to switch off and relax - 'my favourite thing to listen to is reggaeton music, which makes me go on court with the right adrenaline and attitude' - and will join him for his experience at the Internazionali di Roma, one of the most eagerly anticipated events on the entire ATP calendar.
Photographer: Marcello Junior Dino
Stylist: Linda Degiorgi
MUAH: Cinzia Trifiletti
Photographer Assistant: Davide Carlini
Interview: Lorenzo Bottini
