“I am tired of being tired”: the difficult present of a tennis legend

Until the impact of Jannik Sinner on the professional circuit, the most emblematic and memorable player who had Italian tennis was Nicola Pietrangeli. The native of Rome was a promoter of this sport in that country and, in addition, he got great deeds that place him in the big books.

Pietrangeli is twice Roland Garros champion, nothing more and nothing less, winning it in 1959 and 1960. In addition, he lost two more finals, in 1961 and 1064 (in doubles he also consecrated himself in 1959) and reached the semifinals of Wimbledon. Representing Italy, he is an Olympic medalist to achieve bronze in 1968.

In the last hours, Pietrangeli, who is close to 92 years (September 11), provided an exclusive interview in the middle Supertenniswhere he spoke of the complicated present that he is going through: “This is life: painful and boring. My head goes a little. I can remember the things I did 50 years ago, but not the ones I did before yesterday. It gives me that at any time it will no longer work. ”

“They must be punishing me because I have done something wrong in my life. The days are long, very long. Luckily I sleep, that helps me. I would like a day without pain. This pain that I suffer prevents me from moving, they have tried everything. My friends call me to play cards, but I need to rest. Although I spend the whole day in bed, I don’t have a rest day for this pain. I have won cancer, but not at old age, “he added.

“I’m tired, tired of being tired. I don’t know what will be of me in two weeks, nothing will change. I am like a worm, “he continued. On the other hand, he talked about the recent loss of his son Giorgio:” I see it as if I was here, I remember suffering. He was sick, he didn’t get out of bed. He suffered a lot. “