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By Giri Nathan
[vc_empty_space height="15px"]Monte Carlo might produce the best postcards, but clay-court tennis looks perfect in Rome. This is just where the dirt belongs, encircled by the statues and the big stone pines and the broad variety of ambitious sunglasses. Seeing the players tussle in a gladiatorial bowl and hearing the faraway sirens bleat (somehow) in an Italian accent, I can almost taste the zucchine alla scapece and feel the humidity defeat my linen shirt. But as much vicarious fun as I am having from the comfort of an unfurnished apartment, the locals at the Foro Italico are having way, way more fun. Perhaps this is because of the abundance of ATP talent they abruptly find themselves celebrating. Last year the young Italians were confidently hurling themselves into the tour, and they’ve done nothing but thrive ever since. Italy no longer needs to pin its hopes on the mood that Fabio Fognini woke up in on any given morning, because it can now claim the only two teenagers ranked in the top 100. One of them, world No. 82 Lorenzo Musetti, has backed up his incredible feel with grown-up fitness and posted several wins over folks like Diego Schwartzman and Grigor Dimitrov this season. His elder by some seven months, world No. 18 Jannik Sinner, just made his first Masters final in Miami and has a technically airtight game that screams major titles. Making his own first Masters final in Madrid last weekend was Matteo Berrettini, No. 9 in the world and a credible contender for its scariest forehand. Everything’s looking up for the ragazzi.