The Wimbledon semi-finalist from Carrara was sitting on the bar along with his household. The ladies’s No. 69, a tough right-hander from Rimini, eats in the principle eating room with buddies. Out within the again backyard, the Thirty first-ranked males’s participant on the planet, a rising star from Rome, had a meal along with his workforce.
It was Saturday evening earlier than the beginning of the US Open, and By way of Della Tempo, a trattoria within the East Village, was alive. Three of Italy’s high tennis gamers – Lorenzo Musetti, Lucia Bronzetti and Flavio Cobolli – had been scattered across the area, having fun with a calming night in what has turn out to be the Italian gamers’ cafeteria and lounge yearly in the course of the US Open.
“The place is gorgeous for us,” mentioned Mr. Coboli, wearing a crisp blue dinner jacket with a vivid white polo shirt beneath. “We at all times have a desk and eat properly, with actual Italian pasta.”
Gamers from different international locations additionally discover their spots in New York in the course of the Open. Some French gamers frequent Le Baratin within the West Village, whereas others frequent the assorted Tao or Odeon places. However for Italians, it is By way of Della Tempo, the place Italian movies are proven quietly on the TV behind the bar and recollections of calcio (soccer) and tennis adorn the partitions.
On any given evening in the course of the three weeks of the Open – together with per week of observe – there might be as many as 5 Italian gamers within the corridor, typically extra, along with coaches, brokers, family and friends. Matteo Berretini, who reached the semi-finals of the 2019 Open fueled by By way of Della Tempo pasta, is a daily. Generally he goes a number of nights in a row.
Sara Errani, a former world No. 1 participant, and Jasmine Paolini, who’s coming off back-to-back main semifinals on the French Open and Wimbledon, are frequent guests.
Italian gamers have gotten increasingly profitable and this yr there are 10 Italians within the males’s draw on the US Open and 5 Italians within the ladies’s draw. Many will possible cease at By way of Della Tempo not less than as soon as, based mostly on latest historical past.
Paolo Lorenzi, who retired from the tour three years in the past, sat down with Mr Cobolli and his workforce on Saturday. For years he has been a loyal patron of the restaurant and its house owners Marco Ventura and Giovanni Bartocci.
“Giovanni and Marco introduced Italy to New York,” mentioned Mr. Lorenzi, who’s now event director of the Rome Masters.
Mr. Bartocci is likely one of the most recognizable followers of the US Open annually, shouting support for his countrymen in full-throated Italian, with lengthy hair gathered on the highest of the pinnacle and huge silver rings on all 10 fingers. Mr. Ventura is as quiet as his accomplice is loud.
The 2 attempt to make the restaurant as snug as doable for the gamers. This consists of turning off the air con, European model, even on heat nights when the gamers present up.
“Italian gamers, we’re all buddies and we wish to exit and eat Italian meals wherever we journey,” Ms Bronzetti mentioned. “I do not often strive different kinds of meals. Effectively, in New York, perhaps typically I like hamburgers.
Each time she received a match on the Open, Ms. Bronzetti celebrated on By way of Della Tempo. “It is my custom,” she mentioned.
Mr. Musetti, who received a bronze medal on the Paris Olympics, often sits in the identical place each evening – on the desk below certainly one of his blue tennis shirts, which is framed on the wall.
“I come right here as a result of it is enjoyable after tennis,” he mentioned. “Giovanni and Marco, they at all times discover me a desk and we speak in regards to the day.”
The restaurant is at the moment in its second iteration after the unique web site was destroyed by fireplace in February 2020. Mr. Bartocci and Mr. Ventura had no cash to rebuild. However their present landlord heard of their plight and supplied them a brand new area. The deal with is 87 East 4th Avenue. The previous location was 48 East seventh Avenue, simply shifting numbers round.
“After we noticed that, we mentioned, ‘That is the place,'” Mr. Ventura recalled. “It was an indication.”
They nonetheless did not have the cash to renovate and reopen, however raised the cash with the assistance of crowdfunding – boosted by social media posts from the Italian gamers. They believe that a number of the nameless donations got here from the gamers.
The grand re-opening was on Might 1, 2022, and based mostly on how busy it was a couple of nights final week, it seems to be like successful.
“Success is an enormous phrase,” Mr Bartocchi mentioned. “We’re open. And we’re cussed, me and Marco.”
On Saturdays, the place hummed with the rhythmic pulse of Italian filling the air from not less than 70 p.c of the clientele, whether or not they had been swingers, legal professionals, vacationers or clergy.
Father Luigi Portarulo, a neighborhood priest initially from Italy, was there on Saturday. An athlete himself (he captained his soccer workforce on the Vatican), Father Portarulo spent a lot of Saturday evening ministering to the company, particularly Mr. Musetti and the opposite gamers scattered across the restaurant.
“This place is a place to begin for Italian gamers,” he mentioned. “It is lovely that they will loosen up right here and really feel a part of the neighborhood.”
Father Portarulo’s favourite dish is spaghetti carbonara with crispy guanciale (salt-cured pork jowl). For Mr. Musetti, it is spaghetti cacio e pepe. Generally athletes need more healthy meals, like salads or rooster breast with spaghetti and olive oil. However Mrs. Bronzetti likes all pasta, and so does Mr. Coboli.
“I reside in Rome,” mentioned Mr. Coboli. “I’ve buddies in Rome, a girlfriend in Rome, I play in Rome, I welcome Rome, every little thing is Rome,” Mr Cobolli mentioned within the restaurant’s backyard. “Once I come right here, it is also like Rome.”
