Altavia Crew
OVS presents Altavia Crew, the editorial project in partnership with Athleta Lab. Discipline, talent and dedication told by those who challenge their limits every day, through sport and adventure.
Interview with Gianluca Mager and Matteo Civarolo
Having grown up in professional tennis, with experience at the highest levels of the ATP Tour, Gianluca Mager and Matteo Civarolo are now coaches and founders of the Sanremo Tennis Team. Through their academy, they work with young athletes aged 12 to 18, combining technical expertise, international experience, and a strong focus on the players’ personal and mental development.
How and to what extent has tennis become part of your life? What made you fall hopelessly in love with this sport?
Gianluca Mager:
"I started playing tennis when I was about five or six years old. My father had always been a huge sports enthusiast: we lived just a few hundred meters from the tennis club, and he used to spend a lot of time there. He was the one who introduced me to my first coaches. They immediately noticed that I struck the ball well and told my father. That’s where it all began. The results came quickly: by the age of twelve I was already very strong and competing in major events such as the Nations Cup. Then I went through a difficult period during my teenage years. I was a bit rebellious and gave priority to other things: friends, hanging out at cafés, my first nights at clubs. But tennis was always there, above all thanks to my father, who kept encouraging me to play tournaments, enter Open events, and stay involved in that world. At one point, I got the opportunity to play in Italy’s Serie A1 in Genoa. They were looking for a young player to help them win. That’s when I realized I had to stop getting distracted and truly make tennis my priority. I changed my mindset: buses, trains, practice sessions, eight hours a day devoted to improving my tennis... I made significant sacrifices, but I felt myself growing up because I had a goal. In 2013, just a few months after making that change, I earned my first ATP ranking points. That was the real beginning."
Matteo Civarolo:
"I started playing tennis when I was four and a half years old, thanks to my dad. I remember a free trial lesson at the tennis club in Asti, where I was born: it was almost love at first sight. I was pretty good at it, let's say, and after that trial I immediately signed up for lessons. From there, everything kept growing: first at regional level, then national and international. I achieved some great results, especially as a junior, including competing in the Under-18 Grand Slams. I then had a short professional career, about two years, because I decided to start university. I reached around No. 850 in the ATP rankings, then devoted myself to my university studies and later started coaching. The transition from player to coach was very natural. It was something I enjoyed right from the start."
What has tennis represented in your life, and what does it continue to represent today?
Gianluca Mager:
"Tennis has been everything to me: from national tournaments to Challengers, ATP events and Grand Slams. The highest point was reaching the final in Rio de Janeiro, when I broke into the Top 100 and was called up to represent Italy in the Davis Cup. Life as a tennis player is wonderful because you travel and experience incredible emotions, but up to a certain level it is also a daily battle: difficult conditions, constant pressure, and results you have to chase. When I finally achieved that dream, COVID hit. I went from playing an ATP final to competing in a Davis Cup tie in an empty stadium, while tournaments were cancelled and I was forced to stay at home for months. The real problem is that an athlete, especially a tennis player, needs years to build the right confidence and 'ride the right wave.' I had finally reached that point: I felt incredibly confident on court and had access to every tournament, but that break forced me to process everything and gradually wore me down. For two years my life revolved around COVID tests, restrictions and complicated travel. At times I was more anxious about a COVID test than about a match, and the matches themselves no longer gave me the same mix of tension and enjoyment. Then my daughter was born, and travelling and training became increasingly difficult. To be honest, I had never really enjoyed travelling; I only did it because of tennis, because it was simply the most important thing in my life. I experienced many highs and lows, retired and came back. At one point, my wife told me I had to stop because I could no longer live that way. Whenever I had to leave for a tournament, I felt miserable and withdrew into myself. During that period I truly started thinking about what I wanted to do next. From the very beginning, the idea was to work with young players. It had always fascinated me-I just needed to become fully aware that it was the right path."
Matteo Civarolo:
“For me, tennis has always been a passion. At the level I was competing, it certainly required sacrifices, but I never truly experienced them as sacrifices because, above all, what connected me to this sport was love. That’s why everything came naturally and spontaneously. I always loved training, travelling, playing tournaments and seeing the world… And I still love it today, even though I experience it in a different role: as a coach.”
What has tennis represented in your life, and what does it continue to represent today?
Gianluca Mager:
"Tennis has been everything to me: from national tournaments to Challengers, ATP events and Grand Slams. The highest point was reaching the final in Rio de Janeiro, when I broke into the Top 100 and was called up to represent Italy in the Davis Cup. Life as a tennis player is wonderful because you travel and experience incredible emotions, but up to a certain level it is also a daily battle: difficult conditions, constant pressure, and results you have to chase. When I finally achieved that dream, COVID hit. I went from playing an ATP final to competing in a Davis Cup tie in an empty stadium, while tournaments were cancelled and I was forced to stay at home for months. The real problem is that an athlete, especially a tennis player, needs years to build the right confidence and 'ride the right wave.' I had finally reached that point: I felt incredibly confident on court and had access to every tournament, but that break forced me to process everything and gradually wore me down. For two years my life revolved around COVID tests, restrictions and complicated travel. At times I was more anxious about a COVID test than about a match, and the matches themselves no longer gave me the same mix of tension and enjoyment. Then my daughter was born, and travelling and training became increasingly difficult. To be honest, I had never really enjoyed travelling; I only did it because of tennis, because it was simply the most important thing in my life. I experienced many highs and lows, retired and came back. At one point, my wife told me I had to stop because I could no longer live that way. Whenever I had to leave for a tournament, I felt miserable and withdrew into myself. During that period I truly started thinking about what I wanted to do next. From the very beginning, the idea was to work with young players. It had always fascinated me-I just needed to become fully aware that it was the right path."
Matteo Civarolo:
“For me, tennis has always been a passion. At the level I was competing, it certainly required sacrifices, but I never truly experienced them as sacrifices because, above all, what connected me to this sport was love. That’s why everything came naturally and spontaneously. I always loved training, travelling, playing tournaments and seeing the world… And I still love it today, even though I experience it in a different role: as a coach.”
What led you to become a coach? What philosophy guides you in this role?
Matteo Civarolo:
“When I graduated from university, I wasn't sure whether to continue playing or start working right away. I was fortunate that my father managed Tennis Sanremo, where I still work today and where our training center is based. I started from the very beginning, coaching mini tennis. It was an important step because I then moved on to competitive players, including Gianluca himself, with whom we shared a great journey, and later Matteo Arnaldi, a partnership that continues to this day. I coached Gianluca from 2017 until the end of his outstanding playing career: our relationship has deep roots, and the shared philosophy that guides our work has developed and evolved naturally over time. Beyond tennis, beyond whether they become champions or not, what matters most to us is that they learn something through their relationship with us. We want them to grow in the right way, both as players and as people.”
Matteo Civarolo:
“When I graduated from university, I wasn't sure whether to continue playing or start working right away. I was fortunate that my father managed Tennis Sanremo, where I still work today and where our training center is based. I started from the very beginning, coaching mini tennis. It was an important step because I then moved on to competitive players, including Gianluca himself, with whom we shared a great journey, and later Matteo Arnaldi, a partnership that continues to this day. I coached Gianluca from 2017 until the end of his outstanding playing career: our relationship has deep roots, and the shared philosophy that guides our work has developed and evolved naturally over time. Beyond tennis, beyond whether they become champions or not, what matters most to us is that they learn something through their relationship with us. We want them to grow in the right way, both as players and as people.”
Gianluca Mager:
“It was a natural transition, even if it didn’t happen immediately. After I stopped playing, I was torn: one day I thought about coming back, the next I wanted to quit for good. But I felt that the ‘fire’ inside me was gone. I no longer had that determination to give everything I had. During a qualifying match, I finally realized that my career had come to an end. I wasn’t feeling bad; I had simply understood that forcing myself to continue would only hurt me. Then a young player arrived in Sanremo: at first we just hit a few balls together, then he moved there with his family and started training under my guidance. That’s when I realized how much I enjoyed working with young players. It wasn’t something I had planned in advance. It came naturally. Having gone through a rather particular adolescence myself, I can relate to the young people I work with. For me, it’s not only about helping them become champions: what really matters is that they learn something, both in terms of how they approach life and their personal values.”
Gianluca Mager:
“It was a natural transition, even if it didn’t happen immediately. After I stopped playing, I was torn: one day I thought about coming back, the next I wanted to quit for good. But I felt that the ‘fire’ inside me was gone. I no longer had that determination to give everything I had. During a qualifying match, I finally realized that my career had come to an end. I wasn’t feeling bad; I had simply understood that forcing myself to continue would only hurt me. Then a young player arrived in Sanremo: at first we just hit a few balls together, then he moved there with his family and started training under my guidance. That’s when I realized how much I enjoyed working with young players. It wasn’t something I had planned in advance. It came naturally. Having gone through a rather particular adolescence myself, I can relate to the young people I work with. For me, it’s not only about helping them become champions: what really matters is that they learn something, both in terms of how they approach life and their personal values.”
What do you try to pass on to the young talents you have the opportunity to shape?
Gianluca Mager:
“For Matteo and me, everything starts from one fundamental principle: there has to be dialogue. You need to build a relationship in which the player feels comfortable talking to you, and you can talk to them, without ever crossing the line of mutual respect or your respective roles. It shouldn’t feel like a military academy. You have to get to know the player, understand how they’re feeling, and listen to them. If one day they’re tired or feeling down, you need to understand that. At the same time, however, they must always give their maximum effort: if on a given day your best is 80%, then give that 80%. Parents entrust us with their children, and that’s a great responsibility. At the same time, it’s inevitable that we grow attached to them and worry about them. I’m a father myself, and in a way I watch the boys and girls I coach grow up. I remember very well what I was like at their age, and that helps me understand what they may need. The goal is for them to feel good and to learn what it truly means to give their very best.”
Matteo Civarolo:
“The first thing is discipline. In this sport, if you want to improve, there’s no way around it: from morning to evening, every aspect of your life as a tennis player has to be taken care of, both on and off the court. Then comes commitment. And there’s one thing that, unfortunately, is often underestimated today: enjoyment. Everything starts from there. If a young player doesn’t enjoy being on the court, they can’t expect to truly perform and improve. Balance is essential: discipline and enjoyment must go hand in hand. Tennis, even at the highest level, is still a game. Nowadays, it’s often not the players’ fault: sometimes parents put too much pressure on them too early, and the risk is that they end up not wanting to play anymore.”
Tennis is built on technique and refined talent, but above all on mental and emotional balance. How did you experience this aspect during your years as a professional player? And how do you try to pass it on to the players you coach?
Gianluca Mager:
“Many of the young players we coach also work on the mental side with a dedicated professional. It is a 360-degree team effort. As coaches, we constantly exchange ideas and compare notes every day. When Matteo and I started this project, we made the mental and emotional aspect our top priority: the players we coach should never be treated as numbers. We never wanted a system where someone simply arrives, gets a result and leaves. Our shared idea is to work with a limited number of athletes and truly follow them throughout their journey. We want them to feel part of something here, almost like a family… We want them to see their coaches as genuine points of reference. Regardless of their level, mutual respect always comes first: every player should know they can speak openly, that they will be listened to, and that they can face challenges together with all of us.”
Tennis is built on technique and refined talent, but above all on mental and emotional balance. How did you experience this aspect during your years as a professional player? And how do you try to pass it on to the players you coach?
Gianluca Mager:
“Many of the young players we coach also work on the mental side with a dedicated professional. It is a 360-degree team effort. As coaches, we constantly exchange ideas and compare notes every day. When Matteo and I started this project, we made the mental and emotional aspect our top priority: the players we coach should never be treated as numbers. We never wanted a system where someone simply arrives, gets a result and leaves. Our shared idea is to work with a limited number of athletes and truly follow them throughout their journey. We want them to feel part of something here, almost like a family… We want them to see their coaches as genuine points of reference. Regardless of their level, mutual respect always comes first: every player should know they can speak openly, that they will be listened to, and that they can face challenges together with all of us.”
Tennis is built on technique and refined talent, but above all on mental and emotional balance. How did you experience this aspect during your years as a professional player? And how do you try to pass it on to the players you coach?
Matteo Civarolo:
“It’s a fundamental question, because mental balance is an essential part of being a tennis player. In fact, it is the very essence of the sport. It’s an extremely difficult balance to find and, once you’ve found it, even more difficult to maintain. Today it’s even more challenging, partly because of social media. I’m thinking of Matteo Arnaldi: there were months when he played very little and was often criticised. He may be able to deal with those situations and not let other people’s opinions affect him, but not everyone can. The risk is falling into a negative mental spiral that affects not only tennis but life in general. Some people have stronger personalities and are able to cope, while others struggle much more. Today, more than ever, this has become an incredibly important issue. That’s why we devote so much attention to it, creating a specific mental development path for every athlete we coach. Of course, there’s a limit: as coaches we can do a lot, but not everything is in our hands.”
Tennis is built on technique and refined talent, but above all on mental and emotional balance. How did you experience this aspect during your years as a professional player? And how do you try to pass it on to the players you coach?
Matteo Civarolo:
“It’s a fundamental question, because mental balance is an essential part of being a tennis player. In fact, it is the very essence of the sport. It’s an extremely difficult balance to find and, once you’ve found it, even more difficult to maintain. Today it’s even more challenging, partly because of social media. I’m thinking of Matteo Arnaldi: there were months when he played very little and was often criticised. He may be able to deal with those situations and not let other people’s opinions affect him, but not everyone can. The risk is falling into a negative mental spiral that affects not only tennis but life in general. Some people have stronger personalities and are able to cope, while others struggle much more. Today, more than ever, this has become an incredibly important issue. That’s why we devote so much attention to it, creating a specific mental development path for every athlete we coach. Of course, there’s a limit: as coaches we can do a lot, but not everything is in our hands.”
“The key to every athlete, and to every team, is confidence. When you have confidence, you can achieve goals that once seemed unimaginable… That’s exactly what happened to me. When things are going well, everything moves incredibly fast. You hardly even realize it… The philosophy Matteo and I share is built on these very beliefs. Our own experience helps us instill the right understanding of confidence in the young athletes we coach.” Gianluca Mager
Sanremo Tennis Team: “Chasing Dreams Together”. What does it mean to you to pursue dreams alongside young athletes, especially during this golden era for Italian tennis?
Gianluca Mager:
“When you work with young people, you experience emotions very similar to those you felt as a player. You feel something deep inside: only someone who has lived it, at any level of sport, can truly understand what I mean. Just recently, I accompanied three young players to a tournament in Austria and, even though the results weren’t outstanding, I felt incredibly proud of them: for the way they behaved, for the attitude they showed during the matches, and for the way they fought... When they listen to you, try to apply what you teach them, and keep working until they succeed, it’s an immensely rewarding feeling.”
Matteo Civarolo:
““We mainly focus on young players between the ages of 12 and 18. At that stage of life, you have the opportunity to leave a lasting mark, not only from a technical perspective, but also in the way they approach the game on court. We’re fortunate to be living in a remarkable moment for Italian tennis, and I believe the next few years will bring an even greater boom. For us, that’s an extremely positive starting point. On our side, we are constantly committed to creating an environment where young players are educated in both discipline and enjoyment: a place where they can arrive in the morning, stay on court until the afternoon, and leave happy to have spent the day there. Without that kind of enthusiasm and desire, it becomes very difficult to train every day, travel, compete in tournaments, and have little free time… especially at a young age. To me, the dream lies in this shared journey, one that connects new generations with this sport in the way we believe is right.””
Sanremo Tennis Team: “Chasing Dreams Together”. What does it mean to you to pursue dreams alongside young athletes, especially during this golden era for Italian tennis?
Gianluca Mager:
“When you work with young people, you experience emotions very similar to those you felt as a player. You feel something deep inside: only someone who has lived it, at any level of sport, can truly understand what I mean. Just recently, I accompanied three young players to a tournament in Austria and, even though the results weren’t outstanding, I felt incredibly proud of them: for the way they behaved, for the attitude they showed during the matches, and for the way they fought... When they listen to you, try to apply what you teach them, and keep working until they succeed, it’s an immensely rewarding feeling.”
Matteo Civarolo:
““We mainly focus on young players between the ages of 12 and 18. At that stage of life, you have the opportunity to leave a lasting mark, not only from a technical perspective, but also in the way they approach the game on court. We’re fortunate to be living in a remarkable moment for Italian tennis, and I believe the next few years will bring an even greater boom. For us, that’s an extremely positive starting point. On our side, we are constantly committed to creating an environment where young players are educated in both discipline and enjoyment: a place where they can arrive in the morning, stay on court until the afternoon, and leave happy to have spent the day there. Without that kind of enthusiasm and desire, it becomes very difficult to train every day, travel, compete in tournaments, and have little free time… especially at a young age. To me, the dream lies in this shared journey, one that connects new generations with this sport in the way we believe is right.””
Your training sessions take place overlooking the Ligurian Riviera and, at times, you even train directly on the beaches of Sanremo. What is it like to experience tennis in such close connection with a unique place like this part of Italy?
Gianluca Mager:
“From a tennis perspective, Sanremo is envied throughout Italy. We’re just half an hour from Monaco, in an area where tennis has a strong tradition and where many outstanding academies and training centres have emerged in recent years. The climate is ideal, and the city’s location is excellent from a logistical point of view as well. Without a doubt, it’s a perfect place to train.”
Matteo Civarolo:
“As I mentioned, I’m originally from Asti and moved to Sanremo later on. My father took over the management of the tennis club in 2010, so we’ve now been firmly rooted here for sixteen years. This area, between Sanremo, Bordighera, Nice and the French Riviera, is truly special for tennis. It’s home to world-renowned academies such as those of Piatti, Mouratoglou and Tsonga. That alone shows how much the climate and the surrounding environment support training. We train almost exclusively outdoors. During the winter we cover one court, but in general the weather allows us to play outside practically all year round.”
The academy bears both of your names. What kind of relationship do you share today, after each of you has experienced a professional tennis career and together built this remarkable project?
Gianluca Mager:
“Ours is a very deep relationship, even though we’re both fairly reserved people. We’ve known each other since we were practically children. Matteo came here to Sanremo, to the tennis club where I was born and raised: he coached me, supported me and guided me throughout my entire journey. He always believed strongly in me as a tennis player. When he realized I had reached the end of my career, I think he was sorry to see it happen, but from that moment a meaningful project was born, one that we continue to pursue with passion. Today we work together on something that truly feels like our own.”
Gianluca Mager:
“Ours is a very deep relationship, even though we’re both fairly reserved people. We’ve known each other since we were practically children. Matteo came here to Sanremo, to the tennis club where I was born and raised: he coached me, supported me and guided me throughout my entire journey. He always believed strongly in me as a tennis player. When he realized I had reached the end of my career, I think he was sorry to see it happen, but from that moment a meaningful project was born, one that we continue to pursue with passion. Today we work together on something that truly feels like our own.”
Matteo Civarolo:
“Gianluca and I are very close friends. I was even his best man at his wedding. The fact that we travelled so much together while I was coaching him made our bond even stronger. For me, it’s wonderful to have built this project alongside him. Having someone by your side that you work with every day, someone you can discuss everything with, gives you extra motivation. We continue to grow together. Gianluca competed at the highest level and has an incredible amount of experience. As I mentioned before, I now travel around the world coaching Matteo Arnaldi, so I spend a lot of time away from Sanremo. Gianluca, on the other hand, is much more present at the academy and oversees the centre in every aspect. As soon as I finish a commitment with Arnaldi, I come straight back to Sanremo to get back to work alongside him.”
Matteo Civarolo:
“Gianluca and I are very close friends. I was even his best man at his wedding. The fact that we travelled so much together while I was coaching him made our bond even stronger. For me, it’s wonderful to have built this project alongside him. Having someone by your side that you work with every day, someone you can discuss everything with, gives you extra motivation. We continue to grow together. Gianluca competed at the highest level and has an incredible amount of experience. As I mentioned before, I now travel around the world coaching Matteo Arnaldi, so I spend a lot of time away from Sanremo. Gianluca, on the other hand, is much more present at the academy and oversees the centre in every aspect. As soon as I finish a commitment with Arnaldi, I come straight back to Sanremo to get back to work alongside him.”
"If you manage to leave them with something that stays with them: a memory, a lesson, something meaningful… something they will carry with them for the rest of their lives… then, to me, there is no greater feeling or reward than that.” Gianluca Mager
"The most rewarding thing is seeing a young player who, regardless of whether they win or lose, comes back to the club happy with what they’re doing and with the journey they’re building... If you see them enjoying their training and their growth, it’s an incredible satisfaction and a truly special emotion. Without that, there can be no improvement, neither as a tennis player nor as a person. We care about both: helping them grow as athletes and as individuals.” Matteo Civarolo
Previously
Episode 5: Gianluca Mager and Matteo Civarolo
Former professional tennis players, now founders of the Sanremo Tennis Team and coaches of young athletes.
