In “Caffè”, the column he writes for the Corriere della Sera, Massimo Gramellini does not send word to Pietrangeli: “He sets himself up as a monument, but he does it because he is envious”.
Once Nicola Pietrangeli he was a sort of untouchable totem of Italian tennis. Now it has almost become one speck, and this isn’t nice considering how many springs he has under his belt (91 to be precise). Yet in the golden world of Italian racket, he who was one of the greatest athletes in the history of the sport he ended up in an awkward position, almost holed up in a cornermore for envy to see someone who has surpassed him rather than for the ease with which those who idolized him until a handful of years ago are now gone forgotten suddenly. And not a day goes by when the target isn’t hit or sunk.
A “monument” that fears for its “history”
Massimo Gramellinisignature of Corriere della Sera, it’s just the last one on the list. Even if this time Pietrangeli he asked for it a little (and this is nothing new), because having snubbed both Sinner and Berrettini after the victory of Malaga it really seemed too out of the ordinary. “I love old people and generally prefer them to adults, except when they pose as monumentslike the former tennis champion Nicola Pietrangeli”.
Fairly direct criticism and without filters, good for rekindling controversies that when the captain is involved Davis from 1976 they never fail. “Monument, in the case at hand, it’s who it does not give in to the passing of generations and he always places himself at the center of the story, irritated by any change that could oust him from his pedestal.”
Envy, the worst beast
Already last year, after the first triumph of Malaga, Pietrangeli had something to say about the blue ride. And more generally he didn’t seem to want to give too much consideration to the qualities of either Jannik Sinnertoday the undisputed number one in the world. With Gramellini who also seems to see something unclear in it in the “conversion” of Pietrangeli as an admirer of the leader of the blue selection.
“One year ago Pietrangeli spoke badly of Sinner: now, his goodness, he admits that he has become strong. So strong that it should start with a 15 behind in every game. Put like that, it seems like a compliment. But, considering the precedents, one does not escape the suspicion that Pietrangeli is studying them all, just to find a way to make him lose”.
The good is less condescending Nicola it was with Matteo Berrettini, and here Gramellini it went down a little rougher. “On the heroic Berrettini of Malaga he is even less diplomatic: he says he played bad games. A difficult opinion to share, but more than that legitimate and definitely authoritative. What’s the problem, then? The problem is that Pietrangeli he just complained about not being called to the podium to raise the Davis Cup, despite being seated a stone’s throw away.” And here the old adage of envy returns Pietrangeli nourishes towards the new generation. Or maybe he’s alone pure snobbery.
This is why Italian tennis distances itself
Per Gramellini, the presence of Pietrangeli remains cumbersome, and perhaps for this very reason players and more generally managers and federation prefer it distance yourself from the characterwhich has little to do with the champion he was some sixty years ago (and beyond).
“Of course he has some nice claims. He would like to be honored by the targets of his envy or, if you prefer, his excess of sincerity. He can criticize them and downsize their businesses on the basis of the only yardstick he recognizes as valid: himself. And they, i Sinner and the Berrettini, they should take a step back and leave him center stage in exchange for a blessing that, unexpectedly, they feel they can do without.”
In short, a “Coffee” with a bitter aftertaste Pietrangeli. Although the fact that he is still here in plain sight shows that perhaps he has achieved his goal once again.
Source: sport.virgilio.it
