Interview with Alessandro Ingarao

Italian second category champion for the second time in a row, how difficult is it to confirm at this level?

It was two completely different editions. In 2022 I was coming from a bad shoulder injury and my only goal was to be well. Through a lot of hard work, commitment and dedication I managed to win 5 open in a row, returning to high levels of play, but I didn’t think I could go all the way and even win the Italian Championship in both singles and doubles, never losing a set before the final. I was playing with a clear head and no particular pressure.
This year’s edition, however, was completely different because reconfirming is never easy. In addition to having to be in perfect physical shape, the mental energies required as well as the stress loads are greater. At the beginning I seemed to struggle even in matches that were more affordable, but then I got into the right rhythm and it felt even better to win in both categories.

You have an average number of meetings per year ranging between 100 and 110 and a record of Open tournaments wins between 15 and 18 in 2022 and 2023, after the shoulder injury you can say that you are back to great…

I had a lot of desire for redemption after the injury. The fact that I play a lot is a consequence of the Open tournament schedule, in the Futures the average match drops, but changing racquets and switching to ProKennex helped me a lot to recover from the shoulder problem and give me continuity of play all year long. For my musculature it turned out to be a winning choice.

What ProKennex racquet do you play with?

I use the Ki10 and am doing very well. Joining ProKennex was almost destiny.
I played with ProKennex racquets when I was 8/9 years old getting my best results in the junior category. After my shoulder injury, I needed a tool that would give me high performance and a high degree of prevention. The Kinetic system gave me a big hand, I got back to feeling good and winning. Today I found the perfect racquet for me.

What features does it enhance most in your game?

I chose the Ki10 after also trying the Q+5. It was the racquet I had in my head. I needed spin, ball heaviness and to keep the opponent off the court diagonal with the outermost trajectories. The Ki10 has a wide profile and then tightens up on the handle, which gives you incredible control.

Have you already planned your next commitments for 2024? Do you miss international tournaments?

I am defining these days with the team the goals for next year. For sure I will go away for a while on vacation to recharge my energy and in January I will start again with the preparation, in view of the first competitions in February.
The international circuit involves big investments, and at the moment I am still leaning toward continuing with the Open. In general in my opinion the whole ITF model should be redesigned a bit to give more accessibility and allow many talented players to be able to emerge with less difficulty. One thing I will definitely continue to do in 2024 is to continue to enjoy playing Padel as well, and I will definitely not fail to try Pickleball as well!