Interview with Marco Lavazza - "Perfect interaction with tennis"
The ATP Finals in Turin are a home game for the Italian coffee giant Lavazza. In an interview with tennisnet.com, Marco Lavazza, one of the board members of the traditional company, explains where the passion for tennis comes from.
by Jens Huiber
last edit: Nov 17, 2022, 09:27 am
Marco Lavazza is a busy man, but especially this week the 45-year-old entrepreneur can combine work with his second passion: The ATP Finals are taking place for the second time in Turin, i.e. in the city where Lavazza has been since 1895 has its headquarters. In an interview with tennisnet.com, Marco Lavazza makes no attempt to hide his enthusiasm for tennis.
tennisnet : Signore Lavazza. Has there ever been a better time than now to be a tennis fan in Italy?
Marco Lavazza : It's wonderful. We have so many talents in Italy, above all Matteo Berrettini and Jannik Sinner, who is also our brand ambassador. Last year we had the chance to see both of them here in Turin. At the moment there are simply too many injuries that prevent them from qualifying for the ATP Finals. But Italian tennis is doing very well right now. We had a time when women led the way, for example with Flavia Pennetta, who was here in Turin on Monday. At the moment it's the men who set the tone.
tennisnet : Why did Lavazza commit to tennis?
Lavazza : Tennis is a sport where it's like this: you like a player. But you don't hate the other players because of that. We know that differently from other disciplines. And: tennis is a sport for everyone. Anyone can play tennis, it's a very democratic sport.
tennisnet : Lavazza is represented in all majors. How did that come about?
Lavazza : We have found a perfect interaction with the four Grand Slam tournaments and tennis. Tennis is our passion. And our partners noticed that too. Our first partner was the one that was the most difficult to convince, but at the same time was and is the most prestigious: Wimbledon. Even if you're not interested in tennis, you know what Wimbledon is. Lavazza approached this task very humbly. And we were able to convince those responsible at Wimbledon that we bring added value: our way of life, our "Italianness", our way of organizing breaks. A bit self-mockery too, but with a lot of charm.
#IMG2#
tennisnet : Now the USA, Australia, maybe England too are not exactly countries with a great coffee culture...
Lavazza : That was a big challenge. We had to show our partners what the special quality of Lavazza coffee is, let them share our vision. It also helped us that the Mediterranean way of life is very popular in these countries. Now people in the USA have a better understanding of what makes a good espresso.
tennisnet : How important is it for you that the ATP Finals take place in your city, in Turin?
Lavazza : We have been chasing the sport of tennis across the globe for over a decade. And suddenly there was this opportunity for one of the most important tournaments in the world to take place here in Turin. That's where our expertise paid off. We have offices all over the world, but here we can show what Lavazza is all about. You can describe something like that. But it becomes easier to understand when you see it for yourself. For us, this is the best possible way to show ourselves. And we also help Turin to show itself in the best light.
tennisnet : Finally, something personal: Do you also play tennis yourself? Have you ever met Jannik Sinner on the court?
Lavazza : Jannik is too big a challenge for me on the tennis court. These are two different sports. I prefer to play with my son. I only started playing tennis when I was 15. Just for fun of course. My son, on the other hand… he might want to become a professional. He's 15 now. And I will support him where I can. And my son has already hit a few balls with Jannik.