Nicola Pietrangeli, funeral chamber at Foro Italico and funeral on Wednesday
The funeral chamber for Nicola Pietrangeli, who passed away today at the age of 92, will be held Wednesday on the court named after him at the Foro Italico, a symbolic place in the history of Italian tennis and the scene of many of his successes. It is scheduled to open to the public starting at 9 a.m. to allow all fans, athletes and sports institutions to pay tribute to one of the most iconic figures in Italian sport. A short commemoration will take place at 12 noon. The Italian Tennis Federation and Padelhave arranged for a minute’s remembrance to be observed on all official occasions in the coming days in honor of Nicola Pietrangeli, so that his example and legacy will continue to resonate on every court in Italy.
Even the world of soccer has joined in the condolences: in fact, a moment of recollection has been arranged during the matches of all competitions scheduled from today and for the entire weekend (including any early and late games) to honor the memory of Nicola Pietrangeli, an icon of the tennis world who passed away today at the age of 92. The’initiative was proposed by CONI President Luciano Buonfiglio: “The passing of Nicola Pietrangeli deeply grieves the entire Italian sport With him we lose not only an extraordinary champion, but an icon, an eternal symbol of his discipline. Pietrangeli embodied Italian tennis: his talent, charisma and victories have inextricably spanned entire generations. With his successes he brought Italy into the international limelight, paving the way for a tradition that continues to shine today thanks in part to the furrow he traced. Today we lose an absolute reference point, an authentic ambassador of the values that unite our world. To his family, to President Angelo Binaghi and to the entire Italian tennis movement goes my and CONI”s most sincere condolences.
among the many condolence messages on Instagram also that of Filippo Volandri: “Today our tennis loses a giant. Nicola Pietrangeli was the first idol and the first real reference point for anyone who loved the sport. For those of us who wear or have worn the blue jersey, he was never just a great champion of the past. From the wry joke to the most serious advice, he always had the right way to make you think and to remind you what it means to represent Italy. He was free, direct, authentic, and for this reason unique. He paved the way for all of us. His victories, his personality and his way of living tennis allowed Italy to believe it could compete at the highest level. We grew up with his stories, with his overwhelming passion, with his ability to make us feel part of a bigger story. We lose a symbol and a teacher, but his spirit will remain with us, in every Davis Cup and in every boy who steps onto the court in the Azzurri jersey. Grthanks, Nicola, for all that you have represented and will continue to represent for our tennis”.
