18-year-old Italian is into the second round in Madrid

At just 18, Federico Cina isn’t just stepping onto the courts of the Mutua Madrid Open, he’s stepping into a world he’s long dreamed of. Wide-eyed but quietly confident, the Italian wild card is making only his second appearance at an ATP Masters 1000 event and he’s soaking up every ounce of the experience.

“It is different. It is a bigger scale,” Cina told ATP Tour.com with a grin following his opening match in Spain. “I try and see a bit what the top players do. How they train, how they prepare... and I aim to learn from them, to copy what they do a bit.”

This isn’t just an observational trip for Cina, though. The #NextGenATP Italian already made a statement on court, notching a first-round win against Coleman Wong in Madrid.

“It feels so good. I’m very happy about this win,” Cina said. “Before the match I was a little bit tight, but after a few games, I started to play well. It is very special to play these events.”

Cina’s victory in Madrid is his second at ATP Masters 1000 level, having advanced to the second round in Miami last month. The 18-year-old reached No. 4 in the juniors as a 16-year-old and showed impressive signs of potential at the ATP Challenger Tour event in Greece in March, when he enjoyed a run to the title match.

While his latest win in the Spanish capital marks a personal high, Cina is not losing himself in the moment, fully aware of the mountain ahead.

“The biggest challenge is the physical level,” Cina said. “The players are all really strong. I need to improve that part of my game a lot. The movement, the endurance. I need to improve more.”

Still, it’s not all business for the Italian teen. With a recently earned driver’s license, Cina is balancing tennis dreams with life milestones. He’s surrounded by a number of Italians on Tour, but insists those relationships are light-hearted and not tennis-focused.

“I speak with the other Italians and I am good friends with them, but I don’t go to them for advice directly on tennis, just for friendly conversations," Cina added.

Cina has demonstrated mental clarity in his two Masters 1000 wins. In Miami, he stayed composed to win two tie-breaks, having initially squandered a 5-2 lead in the second set against Francisco Comesana. Then in Madrid, Cina stayed tough to win another tie-break before he raced clear in the second set.

“Against Wong I felt a little bit of pressure, but I think that’s normal,” Cina said. “Playing here with the best, you feel a bit less pressure sometimes because people don’t expect too much. But then there is more with big crowds.”

It All Adds Up

That calm under pressure might have something to do with his solid junior foundation. Cina played consistently at junior level from the age of 12, which he credits for easing the transition to the pro level.

“It’s important to go through that step. It has helped me adjust to playing at this level, having a team of four people around me," said Cina, who is coached by his father, Francesco Cina, a former professional tennis player himself. "I have been used to having someone with me, so it is OK. The Federation offers good support.”

With Cina’s victory, he climbed four spots to ninth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah. Keen not to set immediate targets, the opportunity to compete at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF is high on the list.

“I hope to play at Next Gen,” said Cina, who would be the ninth Italian to compete at the 20-and-under tournament. “It is a really good event and I have heard good things about the tournament from the other Italians who have played. It is a big goal for me but it is still far away.”

However, for now, the Palermo native Cina will live in the moment and celebrate his first round success before he takes on Sebastian Korda in the second round.

“I love chocolate,” Cina admitted when asked how he would enjoy his opening win. “I’m a bit stricter now, but it is honestly still quite similar with the diet. After a win, I eat some chocolate.”