Just breathe: Is meditation key to Sonego's success?

Just breathe.

It is a common piece of advice coaches give their athletes across many sports. It is also easier said than done, especially under pressure on the world’s biggest stages.

But breathing exercises have become part of Lorenzo Sonego’s daily routine, and they were certainly helpful on Thursday at the Australian Open.

The Italian battled past #NextGenATP phenom Joao Fonseca in a five-set thriller that lasted three hours and 37 minutes. The spotlight was even brighter than normal on the match following Fonseca’s stunning performance against Top 10 star Andrey Rublev in the first round.

But instead of panicking when Fonseca won the fourth set, Sonego remained focused, saved a break point with a big serve in the decider and emerged victorious.

“I do some exercises, breathing and it helps me,” Sonego told ATPTour.com. “I stay calm on the court and the attitude is different than last year, and I am really, really calm on court.”

It was a raucous atmosphere on 1573 Arena at Melbourne Park. The stands were packed and it felt like a massive occasion.

“I like the atmosphere like that,” Sonego said. “It's like playing in the football stadium and I like that. I really enjoyed the atmosphere and I like when the people are crazy for someone. It was really nice.”

There was also plenty of pressure on both players. Fonseca was in position to continue his breakthrough in his first major main draw after ousting Rublev as a qualifier, while Sonego was playing a crowd on his opponent’s side with a place in the third round on the line.

“Joao, he's amazing. He's an amazing player,” Sonego said. “The talent is incredible. And I think we will see him in the top level in a few months.”

Staying calm was crucial. It has become such an important part of Sonego’s life, that he went to Sri Lanka during the offseason for meditation.

“I started last season to work with some people that helped me with the breathing,” Sonego said. “We do something every day and that's good for the recovery, for the mind and for staying focused every time during the match. It helps me a lot.”

Off court, Sonego is a big basketball fan. He is especially fond of Stephen Curry, the Golden State Warriors’ legend. “He is the best player. I think he changed basketball,” Sonego said. “They play with just three-pointers because of him.”

The No. 55 player in the PIF ATP Rankings is also a renowned vocalist. He has three songs on Spotify and one of them, Un Solo Secondo, has earned more than 1.525 million plays.

But the tennis court is where Sonego shines brightest. The 29-year-old, who debuted at Melbourne Park in 2018, will play Fabian Maroszan to make the fourth round at the tournament for the first time.

“This was the first Grand Slam in my life, and I think one of the best tournaments,” Sonego said. “It's nice to be in the third round again, and I want to continue in this tournament.”