In June, the former champion gave an interview to our newspaper in which he spoke about these two talents and much more
Nicola Pietrangeli needs no introduction. He is the very embodiment of tennis. He made history in the sport and, above all, in Paris, he brought Italy two titles—in 1959 and 1960—and two more finals in 1961 and 1964. Until 2023, he was the only Italian captain to have brought home a Davis Cup, and even today, at the age of 92, he remains a keen observer of the tennis world. He, who planted a seed halfway through the last century, is now enjoying the fruits of a plant that has grown lush and laden with fruit: “We have champions everywhere. In women’s tennis with Jasmine Paolini, and then we won the Davis Cup and the Billie Jean King Cup—we never stop…”
Nicola, will you be watching the Roland Garros final?
“Of course! I’ll be glued to the TV and will be Sinner’s number one fan against Alcaraz. You have to stop thinking I’m a sore loser just because Jannik has become a champion. I’m happy and proud to see Italian tennis dominate the world. We’re what Australia and then the United States once were, and besides Sinner, there are so many others who step up and shine every week. For example, a while back I watched a match by Gigante—I’d never seen him play before, and I wonder why, since he plays so well.“
Paris is special—what memories do you have of it?
”Both as a player and afterward, the memories are wonderful. It’s a very tough tournament, though. It can get very hot or very cold, and clay is physically demanding. Now, though, there’s a roof; the stadium is really beautiful and elegant.”
Sinner and Musetti played in the Paris semifinals, just like you and Sirola did in 1960. Did you follow both of them?
“Too bad for Musetti. But that Alcaraz is a real madman—he does incredible things. Anyway, I was already saying this a few years ago—go look up the interviews: Musetti may not be the strongest of the Italians, but he’s definitely the one who plays the best. He just needed time to grow and gain experience; now he’s among the very best in the world. His tennis is truly a joy to watch, and I’m sure he’ll continue to improve and achieve major victories.”
Musetti just needed to mature: he’s the most exciting to watch—Nicola Pietrangeli. But what does he expect from the Sinner-Alcaraz match just a few weeks after the Rome final?
“I expect a great battle. Jannik is incredibly strong, unbeatable. Did you see him against Djokovic? Right now, I think only Carlos is capable of beating him. Alcaraz is a wild horse—he does it all on his own. He makes mistakes, then hits phenomenal shots; you never know what to expect. But our guy is so strong that in any match, he could start off giving his opponents a 15-point lead. He’d still win.”
Two consecutive finals after being sidelined for three months: an even more sensational achievement, don’t you think?
“Yes, but we’re talking about a professional athlete. And luckily, he wasn’t sidelined by an injury—he was still able to train. Jannik isn’t the same player he was two years ago; he’s grown, gained experience, and matured. He knows he’s in the Wild West—‘Wanted’ is written on his forehead. And everyone wants to beat him to claim the bounty. It’s a situation that forces you to always be on your toes, to never let up. It can be very exhausting, but he has the right mindset to withstand his rivals’ assaults. And in the final, he’ll face the most dangerous of them all.”
You faced Rod Laver, the last player to complete the Grand Slam. Do you think Sinner could pull it off?
“Rocket Man (Laver’s nickname, ed.) did it not once but twice. As for Jannik, I wouldn’t be surprised if he managed to pull off this feat. He’s the best.”
With Sinner and his achievements, everyone is now talking about tennis—how does that make you feel?
“Italians, as I always say, are a nation of fans rather than athletes. We tend to jump on the bandwagon of whoever’s winning or the man of the moment. We’ve seen it with sailing, with Tomba, with Valentino Rossi. Now it’s Sinner. I see him everywhere—I’m about to open the fridge and there he is, advertising.”
Is there any champion you’d compare him to?
“Maybe Borg. Cool-headed, he never got angry—just like Jannik. Then again, what would he have to get angry about? Talented, famous, world No. 1—blessed with talent. He’s been good at nurturing it, and now he has no weaknesses left.”
