Tennis legend Pietrangeli revels in renaissance of Italian men & More News Here

Issued on: 11/05/2022 – 13:32Modified: 11/05/2022 – 13:31

Pietrangeli, a two-time French Open champion in 1959 and 1960, mentioned it was good that final 12 months’s Wimbledon finalist and world quantity eight Matteo Berrettini and Sinner — ranked thirteenth — had been mixing it with the very best in the men’s recreation.

It has been a very long time coming. Italy’s final male Grand Slam winner Adriano Panatta was topped French Open champion 46 years in the past.

The men had subsequently taken a backseat to the ladies with Francesca Schiavone successful the 2010 French Open and shedding in the 2011 closing and Sara Errani, who misplaced the 2012 closing to Maria Sharapova.

Flavia Pennetta then gained the 2015 US Open in all-Italian closing with Roberta Vinci.

“For 10 years, we were carried along by the ladies, they achieved extraordinary things,” 88-year-old Pietrangeli advised AFP on the sidelines of the Italian Open which he gained twice.

“Now, there is a huge rebound by the men.”

Pietrangeli, talking by the court docket on the Foro Italico that has carried his title since 2006, mentioned: “I am the only living Italian sportsman to have one named after him… I hope that lasts for a little longer!”

He picks out 20-year-old Sinner because the extra seemingly of the 2 to interrupt into the highest 5.

The big-serving Berrettini — who has additionally appeared in two Grand Slam semi-finals, the 2019 US Open, and 2021 Australian Open — is presently out of motion as he recovers from a hand operation.

‘Sinner will get higher’

Sinner was to play in a while Wednesday in the second spherical in opposition to 34-year-old compatriot Fabio Fognini, who was at one level ranked ninth in the world.

His rise has been accompanied by that of 19-year-old Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, who gained the Madrid match final week to flag up his kind forward of the French Open.

“Sinner may not be as strong as Carlos Alcaraz (the 19-year-old Spaniard who is the coming man on clay having won in Madrid last Sunday) but he is very good and he will get even better,” mentioned Pietrangeli.

“I see him being in the top five by the end of the year.”

Pietrangeli — who holds the document for the quantity of rubbers performed in the Davis Cup (164) — is content material that in a rustic that’s dominated by soccer two men are thriving in one other sport.

Pietrangeli was virtually misplaced to soccer too after arriving in Italy from his birthplace of Tunisia aged 13.

“I played football better than tennis till I was 18,” mentioned Pietrangeli, who captained Italy to their first ever Davis Cup triumph in 1976.

“I played with the youth players at Lazio but one day they wanted to loan me to another team.

“When you play soccer you’re the slave of your crew.

“I saw countless trips ahead of me (and opted for tennis).

“Maybe I did the suitable factor?” he mentioned with a smile.

© 2022 AFP

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