Gianluigi Quinzi has become just the
second Italian to capture the Boys'
Singles Championship at
Wimbledon.
In a high-quality affair spanning one
hour and 45 minutes, the left-
hander subdued unseeded Hyeon
Chung from the Republic of Korea
7-5, 7-6(2), collapsing to the court
and shedding tears of joy before
embracing his vanquished opponent,
a friend and frequent practice
partner.
The No.6 seed Quinzi followed in
compatriot Diego Nargiso's footsteps
– Nargiso won in 1987 – to hoist the
trophy at one of the most prestigious
junior events in the world.
"Before the match I was a lot of
tight because I knew that I was
playing in the big court [No.1 Court]
my first time. But my coach said to
me before the match: 'Don't look
around. Look only the court. Look at
the Korean guy. Think what we have
to play'," Quinzi revealed.
"I was a little bit tight the first two
games. But after I play my game and
I win the tournament. I can't
believe that I win. I'm so happy."
Despite both players – especially
Quinzi – possessing strong serves, it
was the return doing damage in the
opening set. There were seven
breaks in all during the first stanza,
beginning as early as the opening
game when the Italian immediately
stamped his authority on the
contest. Crushing both his serve and
forehand, he appeared headed to a
double break when up 0-30 in the
third game.
But Chung recovered, and scored a
break in the fourth game to level at
2-2. From here, the players traded
breaks until the seventh game, when
the diminutive Korean held for 4-3.
It was a momentum swing that
seemed to throw Quinzi – he fell
behind 0-40 in the next game and
surrendered serve after failing to
control a forcing backhand from
Chung.
"Today was unbelievable rallies we
play. He was better at the back [of
the court]. I play good [on the]
important point. He played not good
the important point. That's why I
win the match," Quinzi observed.
Indeed, the Italian elevated his
game when he needed to most. He
played a fabulous ninth game,
pounding away relentlessly from the
back of the court and then following
a forehand into net to pick off a
volley winner, breaking back for 5-4.
After holding to level at 5-5, he
played a similarly-impressive game
to score another break, and won a
fourth straight game by holding
serve to clinch the first set.
Frustrations boiled over for Chung in
the second game of the next set,
when he netted a backhand on
break point and yelled in anger. And
the situation didn't improve for the
Korean when he required courtside
treatment for a nasty blister.
Games progressed on serve until the
tenth game, where Quinzi looked in
danger of dropping serve and losing
the set when down 4-5, 0-30. He
escaped, clenching his fist as he
held for 5-5. And from there, the
quality of tennis took another
upward swing.
Using the whole court, both players
ran each other ragged and pulled off
some stunning retrieving, thrilling
the crowd on No.1 Court while
exhausting each other in the
process.
But Quinzi, who said that he felt the
physical strain after those long
rallies and in the hot weather,
separated himself from his opponent
in the ensuing tie-break. Attacking
ceaselessly, he claimed two mini-
breaks – the second with a volley
winner – to move ahead 4-1. A
second volley winner ended another
incredible point, and a forehand
winner brought up a bundle of
match points at 6-2.
"The tie-break was unbelievable. I
play my best tennis in the tie-
breaker," he said.
He needed just one. Chung's
forehand error into the net sealed
the win for Quinzi, who completed a
victory that he believed was possible
from the beginning of The
Championships.
"I went to the court the first round,
and after the first round that I win,
I tell to my coach: 'Maybe I'm going
to win this tournament'," Quinzi
said.
"And then I win."
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