In Memoriam: Hall of Famer Nicola Pietrangeli

Written by Hall of Famer Steve Flink 

Hall of Famer Nicola Pietrangeli, an accomplished Italian player and Davis Cup stalwart for his country and a two-time singles champion at Roland-Garros, died today in Rome at the age of 92. Pietrangeli, who was known as an elegant backcourt player with extraordinary ball control and finesse, was a 1986 inductee into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

Pietrangeli’s playing career stretched from 1954 to 1972, but his best days as a leading amateur were well behind him by the time Open Tennis commenced in 1968, allowing amateurs and professionals to compete against each other for the first time at the same tournaments. He lasted at the peak of his powers from the late 1950’s until the mid-1960’s, and in that span very few players were better on his preferred clay courts. Pietrangeli was masterful on defense, operating systematically from the backcourt, excelling off the backhand. His touch was magical, delighting audiences in Europe who reveled in his artistry. He confounded opponents struggling to read his patterns. Pietrangeli played the sport on his own terms.

He claimed his first major singles title at the French Championships in 1959 at 25, ousting the left-handed Australian Neale Fraser in the penultimate round and then rallying to defeat the South African Ian Vermaak 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-1 in the final. A year later in the same arena, Pietrangeli outperformed Spain’s industrious Andres Gimeno in the quarterfinals, defeated the Frenchman Robert Haillet in the semifinals and halted Chile’s Luis Ayala 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 to defend his title. As Gloria Butler reported in World Tennis Magazine, “Nicola was unbeatable, pulling off placements with nonchalance.”

Although Pietrangeli lost hard fought Roland-Garros finals to the stylish Spaniard Manuel Santana in 1961 and 1964 (bowing in the former contest in five sets, dropping the latter in four), those meetings between a pair of dazzling performers were so alluring that the debonair Italian only added to his luster in defeat. Santana brought out the very best in Pietrangeli across the board, and vice versa.

Meanwhile, Pietrangeli was victorious at Roland-Garros twice in doubles. He took the men’s doubles alongside Orlando Sirola in 1959. They defeated Australians Roy Emerson and Neale Fraser in the 1959 final after claiming the mixed doubles title with Great Britain’s Shirley Bloomer in 1958 over the Australian duo of Bob Howe and Lorraine Coghlan 8-6, 6-2.

During that golden stretch of his career, Pietrangeli played some of his most inspired tennis for audiences in his home country, winning twice at the Italian Championships at the fabled Foro Italico in Rome. He took the first of those prestigious titles in 1957 when he knocked out compatriot Beppe Merlo in the final, and prevailed again at that venue in 1961 with a final round triumph over the rising Australian Rod Laver.

And yet, Pietrangeli never gave more of himself than he did when representing his country in the Davis Cup with such ferocity. From 1954 to 1972 he missed only one year in that forum, investing immeasurable emotional energy in the process. He played and won more than anyone in tennis history, appearing in an astounding 164 Cup matches altogether, finishing with remarkable records of 78-32 in singles and 42-12 in doubles. He was such a prolific participant and achiever that the esteemed American writer Bud Collins called Pietrangeli “Signor Davis Cup.”

Driving Pietrangeli more than the lofty personal numbers was his quest to bring glory to his nation with a Cup victory. He came very close to realizing that goal, leading Italy into the Challenge Round [final] in both 1960 and 1961. Facing the United States in the 1960 semifinals, the Italians were behind 2-0 in the best of five match series in Perth, Australia, but Pietrangeli and Sirola stunned the heavily favored American tandem of Chuck McKinley and Butch Buchholz in four sets. On the final day, Pietrangeli defeated Buchholz in five sets before Sirola bested Barry MacKay. Italy triumphed 3-2.

Pietrangeli was exhilarated by that victory, but against Australia in the final his team lost 4-1. And yet, Pietrangeli managed to win some bragging rights by upending Fraser in the fifth and final match. A year later, Italy lost to the Australians again, suffering a 5-0 setback. But Pietrangeli pushed Laver to the hilt on the lawns of Melbourne before losing 6-3, 3-6, 4-6, 6-3 8-6 in a blockbuster.

In his book, The Story of the Davis Cup, Alan Trengove wrote that Pietrangeli was “one of the most gifted players in the world. With his flowing ground strokes and fine touch, he played an elegant and unhurried game.”

Nicola “Nicky” Pietrangeli was born in Tunis, Italy, on September 11, 1933, the city where his paternal grandfather had introduced the first railroad in that country. His father, Giulio, was an excellent athlete. As a boy, Pietrangeli was much more immersed in soccer than tennis but as he moved through his teens his feelings toward the two sports changed irrevocably and tennis became his priority. Over the decades, he was so popular in Italy that he clearly transcended tennis and became a singular sports hero.

Pietrangeli is survived by two of his sons, Marco and Filippo.