Adriano Panatta reveals what Nicola Pietrangeli really thought of Jannik Sinner

Adriano Panatta is back to talk about Nicola Pietrangeli, the Italian tennis legend who passed away at the age of 92 on Monday. “I would be in danger of wronging Nicola if I simply said I lost a friend” is the incipit of Panatta, who recounted his relationship with the Italian sports icon in a long article written in Corriere della Sera. “Throughout the many common stories I could tell, the endless times when we found ourselves on the same side of the fence, or on the contrary, at opposite poles of a controversy, the friendship never failed, a bond in its own curious way, but unique and indestructible”.

Martino Davidi

Panatta also revealed what Nicola Pietrangeli really thought of Sinner, behind all the jibes and ironic jokes at every victory of the South Tyrolean outfielder on the circuit. “I used to say to him: ‘But how do you feel about comparing yourself with Sinner, he has surpassed you, so what? Aren’t you happy? Give yourself a break…’.’They didn&#8217t understand me’ he complained, ‘that guy is so strong, a wonder, I just wanted to say that the road remains long, because that&#8217s the way it is in sports, and I don&#8217t want Sinner to ever forget that’. Eh, all right, but if you said it like that, wasn&#8217t that better? Nothing, ‘with Nicola you have to be patient’”.

Jannik Sinner, as learned by the Ansa from circles close to the South Tyrolean tennis player, privately expressed to the family his condolences on the passing of Nicola Pietrangeli. The South Tyrolean champion preferred to use this personal form rather than the’use of his own social channels, as his other national teammates have done. In addition to Sinner, Matteo Berrettini and other Azzurri such as Lorenzo Sonego and Simone Bolelli also remained silent on social media, preferring to offer private condolences. Pietrangeli had celebrated the 2023 Davis Cup victory with them, cheering on the podium in Malaga.