Google News Lorenzo Musetti: I didn't want to play tennis after breaking up with girlfriend
by DZEVAD MESIC | VIEW 21704
Rising Italian star Lorenzo Musetti admitted that breaking up with his girlfriend hit him hard and he didn't want to play tennis anymore. Musetti, who made a strong start to the season with semifinals in Acapulco and Lyon, went on a six-match losing streak before ending it at the US Open.
“I have had a bad period in recent months. I separated from my girlfriend. I didn't want to play anymore. So I decided to see a psychologist and now I'm better,” Musetti said in an interview for Gazzetta Dello Sport.
Musetti was up by two sets against Novak Djokovic in the French Open round-of-16 before retiring in fifth set. “After the French Open [Roland Garros], I was really under the spotlight. Media and things outside, maybe I gave too much time to that and didn’t focus enough on my tennis.
It’s been a hard period for me," Musetti noted.
Musrtti was also having hard time dealing with pressure
Musetti drew atention to himself earlier this year when he made the Acapulco semifinal as a qualiifier. Two months later, Musetti made the Lyon semifinal and the round-of-16 at the French Open.
“It’s a lot of pressure on a 19-year-old, to be expected to win most of the time,” said Musetti. “I didn’t know how to manage it. I was exploding inside, and I couldn’t give 100 per cent on the court.
I started to work with a mental trainer and it’s working. It’s not easy to change these things, I think it’s a long way to go, but I’ve improved mentally. “Even in this match [against Polmans], I fought for every point.
That’s what makes me the happiest. Look at Marc, Top 150, it’s so hard. There is such a tiny difference from the Challengers to here on the ATP Tour. Everyone has to be at 100 per cent the whole time and that’s tough”.