In June, the former champion gave an interview to our newspaper in which he talked about the two talents and much more

Nicola Pietrangeli needs no introduction. He is the epitome of tennis. He made history and, above all, gave Italy two titles in Paris, in 1959 and 1960, and two more finals in 1961 and 1964. Until 2023, he was the only Italian captain to have won a Davis Cup, and even today, at the age of 92, he is still a keen observer of the world of tennis. He planted a seed in the middle of the last century and is now enjoying the fruits of a plant that has grown lush and laden with fruit: “We have champions everywhere. In the women’s game with Jasmine Paolini, and then we won the Davis Cup, the Billie Jean King Cup, we never stop…“

Nicola, will you be watching the Roland Garros final?

”Of course! I’ll be sitting in front of the television and I’ll be Sinner’s biggest fan against Alcaraz. You have to stop thinking that I’m a sore loser because Jannik has become a champion. I am happy and proud to see Italian tennis dominate the world. We are what Australia and then the United States once were, and besides Sinner, there are many others who come out every week and show off their skills. For example, some time ago I saw a match by Gigante. I had never seen him before and I wonder why, since he plays so well.“

Paris is special. What memories do you have of it?

”As a player, but also afterwards, I have wonderful memories. It’s a very tough tournament, though. It can be very hot and also very cold, and the clay is energy-sapping. Now, however, there is a roof, and the stadium is really beautiful and elegant.“ Sinner and Musetti played in the semifinals in Paris, just like you and Sirola in 1960. Did you follow them both? ”It’s a shame about Musetti. But Alcaraz is crazy, he does incredible things. Anyway, I said it a few years ago, go and look for the interviews: Musetti may not be the strongest Italian, but he is certainly the one who plays best. He just needed time to grow and gain experience, now he is among the very best in the world. His tennis is really beautiful to watch and I am sure he will continue to grow and achieve important victories.”

Musetti just needed to grow: he’s the most beautiful to watch Nicola Pietrangeli But what do you expect from the Sinner-Alcaraz match a few weeks after the Rome final?

“I expect a good battle. Jannik is very strong, unbeatable. Did you see him with Djokovic? At the moment, I think only Carlos is capable of beating him. Alcaraz is a wild horse, he does everything. He makes mistakes, then he makes phenomenal points, you never know what to expect. But ours is so strong that in every match he could start by giving his rivals a 15-point lead. He would still win.”

Two consecutive finals after being out for three months: an even more amazing result, don’t you think?

“Yes, but we’re talking about a professional athlete. And luckily, he wasn’t out with an injury, so he was still able to train. Jannik is not the same player he was two years ago; he has grown, gained experience, and matured. He knows he’s in the Wild West, with ‘wanted’ written on his forehead. And everyone wants to beat him to take home the prize. It’s a situation that forces you to always be on your toes, to never stop. It can be very tiring, but he has the right mindset to withstand the attacks of his rivals. And in the final, he faces the most dangerous of them all.”

You faced Rod Laver, the last player to complete the Grand Slam. Do you think Sinner could do it?

“Rocket Man (Laver’s nickname, ed.) did it not once but twice. As for Jannik, I wouldn’t be surprised if he managed to do it. He’s the strongest.”

With Sinner and his achievements, everyone is now talking about tennis. How does that make you feel?

“Italians, I always say, are a nation of fans rather than sportspeople. They tend to jump on the bandwagon of whoever is winning or the man of the moment. We saw it with sailing, with Tomba, Valentino Rossi. Now there’s Sinner. I see him everywhere, I open the fridge and there he is, advertising.”

Is there any champion you would compare him to?

“Perhaps Borg. Cool, he never got angry, like Jannik. What would he have to get angry about? Talented, famous, number 1 in the world, blessed with talent. He has been good at cultivating it and now he has no weaknesses.”