On 1 December, we received the sad news that Italian tennis legend Nicola Pietrangeli had passed away at the age of 92. Pietrangeli, a Davis Cup stalwart for his country and a two-time singles champion at Roland-Garros, was known as an elegant backcourt player with extraordinary ball control and finesse.
Since its inception, Nicola has shown his support for our association. He has demonstrated this not only with words, but also with actions. He attended events organised by CTC member clubs and gave clinics at TC Venezia. His friendship with Marco Gilardelli, current CTC counsellor, with whom he played on the Italian Davis Cup team, fostered this close relationship with the association.
Pietrangeli was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1986.
As another Hall of Famer, the American journalist Steve Flink, explains: «Pietrangeli’s playing career stretched from 1954 to 1972, but his best days as a leading amateur were well behind him by the time Open Tennis commenced in 1968, allowing amateurs and professionals to compete against each other for the first time at the same tournaments. He lasted at the peak of his powers from the late 1950’s until the mid-1960’s, and in that span very few players were better on his preferred clay courts. Pietrangeli was masterful on defense, operating systematically from the backcourt, excelling off the backhand. His touch was magical, delighting audiences in Europe who reveled in his artistry. He confounded opponents struggling to read his patterns. Pietrangeli played the sport on his own terms».
His great opponent and friend was the Spaniard Manuel Santana. Santana brought out the very best in Pietrangeli across the board, and vice versa.
Pietrangeli never gave more of himself than he did when representing his country in the Davis Cup. From 1954 to 1972 he missed only one year in that forum, investing immeasurable emotional energy in the process. He played and won more than anyone in tennis history, appearing in an astounding 164 Davis Cup matches altogether, finishing with remarkable records of 78-32 in singles and 42-12 in doubles.
He will be missed. Rest in peace, Nicola.
