ATP Tour

How New York's Italian connection powers Arnaldi at the US Open

Despite being thousands of miles from his native Italy, Matteo Arnaldi feels very much at home in New York City — whether he is on site at the US Open or hanging out in the hustle and bustle of Manhattan.

When he is not occupied with his tennis at Flushing Meadows, Arnaldi’s trips to New York involve plenty of visits to Villa Della Pace, an Italian restaurant in the East Village that has long welcomed the country’s ATP Tour and Hologic WTA Tour stars during their stays at the US Open.

“I always go there. I went there the first time I came here in 2022, and when I reached the fourth round in 2023 I went there every day," Arnaldi told ATPTour.com in Flushing Meadows. "[The owner is] here actually, he’s waiting for me to come and say hi."

As Arnaldi finished his sentence, owner Giovanni Bartocci suddenly appeared from behind him to offer an embrace.

“We are talking about you!” said Arnaldi.

“Is he talking about me in a bad way or just good?” asked Bartocci.

“The food is not good,” joked Arnaldi, while pulling a faux-serious face.

According to several Italian ATP Tour stars, Arnaldi’s sarcastic assessment could not be further from the truth. Matteo Berrettini, Lorenzo Musetti, Lorenzo Sonego are among the other players to frequently visit the East Village restaurant when they are in town for the US Open.

“Usually I go with my team, but it’s like a players' lounge there,” said Arnaldi. “There are so many Italians. We have dinner altogether, basically.”

The presence of authentic Italian restaurants such as Villa Della Pace reflects the deep historical ties between New York and the southern European country. Arnaldi says he can feel that transatlantic connection in the city’s food, culture and people.

“There are so many good restaurants in New York, so I love that as a good Italian,” said the 24-year-old. “I actually don’t know how to explain, but every time I come here, I feel at home. I feel like there are a lot of people, some cheering for you and some not, but there are a lot of people.

“Just the energy. When I come here, I just feel good. There are a lot of Italians working here and visiting. There is a good Italian influence for sure.”

Not that Arnaldi cannot appreciate the distinctly American character of New York. He recalls being blown away by everything ‘Big Apple’ when he first visited.

“I’m staying in the centre, so I usually explore, but I’ve been here six times or something like that, so I think I’ve seen pretty much everything,” said Arnaldi. “I just like to go on Fifth Avenue for a walk sometimes, go in the shops with my girlfriend. Pretty easy, but in later visits I’ve been focusing on the tennis more.

“When I came here as a junior, I did everything. I was so excited. I lost second round, but I was like, ‘Oh my god, New York’. Now it’s more tennis.”

_{^{Arnaldi reached the fourth round at the 2023 US Open before falling to Carlos Alcaraz. Photo Credit: Kena Betancur/AFP via Getty Images}}

Arnaldi will hope that focus pays off on Tuesday, when he faces 19th seed Francisco Cerundolo to open his 2025 US Open. For the Italian, who is 18-19 for the season, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index, it represents a chance to add a big-stage success to an up-and-down year.

“I’ve been dealing with a few injuries lately, so I hope to be able to put that aside and just play tennis and enjoy it,” said Arnaldi, who is 5-2 at the US Open, including reaching the fourth round in 2023 when he fell to then-World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz. “This U.S. swing I’ve had an issue with my foot and then before it was my ankle. So it’s not been the best year injury-wise, and I hope this is going to be a turnaround of my year.”