Adriano Panatta
Country (sports) | Italy | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Residence | Treviso, Italy | |||||||||||
Born | Rome, Italy | 9 July 1950|||||||||||
Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | |||||||||||
Turned pro | 1969 (amateur from 1968) | |||||||||||
Retired | 1983 | |||||||||||
Plays | Right-handed (one-handed backhand) | |||||||||||
Prize money | $776,187 | |||||||||||
Singles | ||||||||||||
Career record | 408–245[1] | |||||||||||
Career titles | 10 | |||||||||||
Highest ranking | No. 4 (24 August 1976) | |||||||||||
Grand Slam singles results | ||||||||||||
Australian Open | 1R (1969) | |||||||||||
French Open | W (1976) | |||||||||||
Wimbledon | QF (1979) | |||||||||||
US Open | 4R (1978) | |||||||||||
Other tournaments | ||||||||||||
Tour Finals | RR (1975) | |||||||||||
WCT Finals | QF (1977) | |||||||||||
Doubles | ||||||||||||
Career record | 233–152 | |||||||||||
Career titles | 18 | |||||||||||
Highest ranking | No. 15 (24 March 1980) | |||||||||||
Team competitions | ||||||||||||
Davis Cup | W (1976) | |||||||||||
Medal record
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Adriano Panatta (born 9 July 1950) is an Italian former professional tennis player. He won the French Open in 1976, when he became the first Italian man in the Open Era to win a Grand Slam singles title.[2] Panatta was also the only player ever to defeat Björn Borg at Roland Garros,[3] doing so twice.
From 2018 to 2021, he was a regular guest of the RAI sport broadcast Quelli che... il Calcio.[4]
Career
[edit]Panatta was born in Rome.[5] His father was the caretaker of the Tennis Club Parioli, and as a youngster he learned to play the game on the club's clay courts. He became a successful European junior player before turning professional.
In his early career, Panatta won top-level professional titles at Bournemouth in 1973, Florence in 1974, Kitzbühel and Stockholm in 1975.
The pinnacle of his career arrived in 1976, when he won the French Open defeating Harold Solomon in the final 6–1, 6–4, 4–6, 7–6. In the first round he had saved a match point against Czechoslovakian player Pavel Hutka. In the same year he also won the Italian Open, having saved 11 match points in his first round match against the Australian Kim Warwick, and beating Guillermo Vilas in the final (2–6, 7–6, 6–2, 7–6). He finished off 1976 by helping Italy capture its first-ever Davis Cup title, winning two singles and a doubles rubber in the final against Chile. He reached his career-high singles ranking of world No. 4 that year.[6][7] Panatta remained the highest-ranking Italian tennis player in history until February 2024, when Jannik Sinner became No. 3;[8] Sinner went on to rank No. 1.[9]
Panatta is the only player to have defeated Björn Borg at the French Open. He achieved this feat twice – in the fourth round in 1973 (7–6, 2–6, 7–5, 7–6), and in the quarterfinals in 1976 (6–3, 6–3, 2–6, 7–6), where he would go on to win the tournament. He also faced Borg at the semifinal stage of the 1975 tournament; Borg won on this occasion in four sets.[10]
In 1977, Panatta won the World Championship Tennis in Houston, where he defeated Jimmy Connors and Vitas Gerulaitis. He followed this up with another title in Tokyo in 1978.
Panatta was less successful on fast surfaces, especially on grass. His best performance at Wimbledon was in 1979, when he was beaten in the quarter-finals by Pat DuPré in five sets (3–6, 6–4, 6–7, 6–4, 6–3). In an interview many years later, Panatta remarked that it was the only match in his career he "regretted losing", and that he threw it away by playing a "bit cocky" and repeatedly losing concentration.[11]
After the 1976 Davis Cup triumph, Panatta helped Italy reach the Davis Cup final on three further occasions – in 1977, 1979 and 1980. The team lost to Australia in 1977, the United States in 1979, and to Czechoslovakia in 1980. Overall, Panatta compiled a 64–36 Davis Cup record (55–17 on clay).[12]
His final career singles title came in 1980 at Florence. He retired from the professional tour in 1983.
Other sport ventures
[edit]After his retirement, Panatta has served as captain of Italy's Davis Cup team,[13] and as tournament director of the Rome Masters.
Panatta also competed in offshore powerboat racing, most specifically in Class 1 World Powerboat Championship.[14] His most successful season was in 1990, where he and his co-driver Antonio Gioffredi would have been world champion had the title not been revoked after the tragic accident that claimed the life of reigning champion Stefano Casiraghi, husband of Caroline, Princess of Hanover.[15]
From 1992 until 2002, Panatta also competed as a rally driver.[16] In 1992 he took part to a World Rally Championship, the Sanremo Rally, in a Peugeot 309 GTI. Panatta's navigator was Enrico Riccardi. They retired after an accident.[17]
Private life
[edit]Panatta is an atheist.[18] His younger brother is fellow tennis player Claudio Panatta.
Grand Slam finals
[edit]Singles (1 title)
[edit]Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Opponent | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Win | 1976 | French Open | Clay | Harold Solomon | 6–1, 6–4, 4–6, 7–6 |
Career finals
[edit]Singles: 26 (10–16)
[edit]Result | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Win | 1. | 1971 | Senigallia, Italy | Clay | Martin Mulligan | 6–3, 7–5, 6–1 |
Loss | 1. | 1972 | Hamburg, Germany | Clay | Manuel Orantes | 3–6, 8–9, 0–6 |
Loss | 2. | 1972 | Gstaad, Switzerland | Clay | Andrés Gimeno | 5–7, 8–9, 4–6 |
Loss | 3. | 1973 | Valencia, Spain | Clay | Manuel Orantes | 4–6, 4–6, 3–6 |
Loss | 4. | 1973 | Barcelona, Spain | Clay | Ilie Năstase | 1–6, 6–3, 1–6, 2–6 |
Loss | 5. | 1973 | Nice, France | Clay | Manuel Orantes | 6–7, 7–5, 6–4, 6–7, 10–12 |
Loss | 6. | 1973 | Madrid, Spain | Clay | Ilie Năstase | 3–6, 6–7, 7–5, 1–6 |
Loss | 7. | 1973 | Florence, Italy | Clay | Ilie Năstase | 3–6, 6–3, 6–0, 6–7, 4–6 |
Win | 2. | 1973 | Bournemouth, England | Clay | Ilie Năstase | 6–8, 7–5, 6–3, 8–6 |
Win | 3. | 1974 | Florence, Italy | Clay | Paolo Bertolucci | 6–3, 6–1[19] |
Loss | 8. | 1974 | Båstad, Sweden | Clay | Björn Borg | 3–6, 0–6, 7–6, 3–6 |
Win | 4. | 1975 | Kitzbühel, Austria | Clay | Jan Kodeš | 2–6, 6–2, 7–5, 6–4 |
Loss | 9. | 1975 | Madrid, Spain | Clay | Jan Kodeš | 2–6, 6–3, 6–7, 2–6 |
Loss | 10. | 1975 | Barcelona, Spain | Clay | Björn Borg | 6–1, 6–7, 3–6, 2–6 |
Win | 5. | 1975 | Stockholm, Sweden | Hard (i) | Jimmy Connors | 4–6, 6–3, 7–5 |
Loss | 11. | 1975 | Buenos Aires, Argentina | Clay | Guillermo Vilas | 6–2, 2–6, 6–4 |
Win | 6. | 1976 | Rome, Italy | Clay | Guillermo Vilas | 2–6, 7–6, 6–2, 7–6 |
Win | 7. | 1976 | French Open, Paris | Clay | Harold Solomon | 6–1, 6–4, 4–6, 7–6 |
Loss | 12. | 1976 | Gstaad, Switzerland | Clay | Raúl Ramírez | 5–7, 7–6, 1–6, 3–6 |
Win | 8. | 1977 | Houston WCT, United States | Clay | Vitas Gerulaitis | 7–6, 6–7, 6–1 |
Loss | 13. | 1978 | Rome, Italy | Clay | Björn Borg | 6–1, 3–6, 1–6, 6–4, 3–6 |
Win | 9. | 1978 | Tokyo Outdoor, Japan | Clay | Pat DuPré | 6–3, 6–3 |
Loss | 14. | 1978 | Bologna Indoor, Italy | Carpet (i) | Peter Fleming | 2–6, 6–7 |
Win | 10. | 1980 | Florence, Italy | Clay | Raúl Ramírez | 6–2, 2–6, 6–4 |
Loss | 15. | 1980 | Geneva, Switzerland | Clay | Balázs Taróczy | 3–6, 2–6 |
Loss | 16. | 1980 | Paris Indoor, France | Hard (i) | Brian Gottfried | 6–4, 3–6, 1–6, 6–7 |
Doubles: 28 (18–10)
[edit]Result | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Win | 1. | 1973 | Florence | Clay | Paolo Bertolucci | Juan Gisbert Ilie Năstase |
6–3, 6–4 |
Win | 2. | 1974 | Florence, Italy | Clay | Paolo Bertolucci | Róbert Machán Balázs Taróczy |
6–3, 3–6, 6–4 |
Win | 3. | 1974 | Båstad, Sweden | Clay | Paolo Bertolucci | Ove Nils Bengtson Björn Borg |
3–6, 6–2, 6–4 |
Win | 4. | 1974 | São Paulo WCT, Brazil | Carpet (i) | Ion Țiriac | Ove Nils Bengtson Björn Borg |
7-5, 3-6, 6-3 |
Loss | 1. | 1975 | Richmond WCT | Carpet | Paolo Bertolucci | Hans Kary Fred McNair |
6–7, 7–5, 6–7 |
Win | 5. | 1975 | Bologna Indoor, Italy | Carpet (i) | Paolo Bertolucci | Arthur Ashe Tom Okker |
6–3, 3–6, 6–3 |
Loss | 2. | 1975 | Barcelona WCT, Spain | Carpet (i) | Paolo Bertolucci | Arthur Ashe Tom Okker |
5–7, 1–6 |
Win | 6. | 1975 | London WCT, England | Carpet (i) | Paolo Bertolucci | Jürgen Fassbender Hans-Jürgen Pohmann |
6–3, 6–4 |
Win | 7. | 1975 | Kitzbühel, Austria | Clay | Paolo Bertolucci | Patrice Dominguez François Jauffret |
6–2, 6–2, 7–6 |
Win | 8. | 1975 | Buenos Aires, Argentina | Clay | Paolo Bertolucci | Jürgen Fassbender Hans-Jürgen Pohmann |
7–6, 6–7, 6–4 |
Loss | 3. | 1976 | Stockholm, Sweden | Carpet (i) | Tom Okker | Alex Metreveli Ilie Năstase |
4–6, 5–7 |
Loss | 4. | 1976 | Gstaad, Switzerland | Clay | Paolo Bertolucci | Jürgen Fassbender Hans-Jürgen Pohmann |
5–7, 3–6, 3–6 |
Loss | 5. | 1977 | Mexico City WCT, Mexico | Hard | Ilie Năstase | Wojtek Fibak Tom Okker |
2–6, 3–6 |
Win | 9. | 1977 | St. Louis WCT, U.S. | Carpet (i) | Ilie Năstase | Vijay Amritraj Dick Stockton |
6–4, 3–6, 7–6 |
Win | 10. | 1977 | London WCT, England | Carpet (i) | Ilie Năstase | Mark Cox Eddie Dibbs |
7–6, 6–7, 6–3 |
Win | 11. | 1977 | Houston WCT, U.S. | Clay | Ilie Năstase | John Alexander Phil Dent |
6–3, 6–4 |
Loss | 6. | 1977 | Charlotte WCT, U.S. | Clay | Corrado Barazzutti | Tom Okker Ken Rosewall |
1–6, 6–3, 6–7 |
Loss | 7. | 1977 | Masters Doubles WCT, Kansas City | Carpet (i) | Vitas Gerulaitis | Vijay Amritraj Dick Stockton |
6–7, 6–7, 6–4, 3–6 |
Win | 12. | 1978 | Florence, Italy | Clay | Corrado Barazzutti | Mark Edmondson John Marks |
6–3, 6–7, 6–3 |
Loss | 8. | 1979 | Las Vegas, U.S. | Hard | Raúl Ramírez | Marty Riessen Sherwood Stewart |
6–4, 4–6, 6–7 |
Win | 13. | 1979 | Florence, Italy | Clay | Paolo Bertolucci | Ivan Lendl Pavel Složil |
6–4, 6–3 |
Win | 14. | 1979 | Barcelona, Spain | Clay | Paolo Bertolucci | Carlos Kirmayr Cássio Motta |
6–4, 6–3 |
Win | 15. | 1980 | Monte Carlo, Monaco | Clay | Paolo Bertolucci | Vitas Gerulaitis John McEnroe |
6–2, 5–7, 6–3 |
Loss | 9. | 1980 | Florence, Italy | Clay | Paolo Bertolucci | Gene Mayer Raúl Ramírez |
1–6, 4–6 |
Win | 16. | 1980 | Paris Indoor, France | Hard (i) | Paolo Bertolucci | Brian Gottfried Raymond Moore |
6–4, 6–4 |
Win | 17. | 1981 | Nancy, France | Carpet (i) | Ilie Năstase | John Feaver Jiří Hřebec |
6–4, 2–6, 6–4 |
Loss | 10. | 1981 | Florence, Italy | Clay | Paolo Bertolucci | Raúl Ramírez Pavel Složil |
3–6, 6–3, 3–6 |
Win | 18. | 1982 | Florence, Italy | Clay | Paolo Bertolucci | Sammy Giammalva Jr. Tony Giammalva |
7–6, 6–1 |
Singles performance timeline
[edit]W | F | SF | QF | #R | RR | Q# | DNQ | A | NH |
Tournament | 1969 | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | SR | W–L | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Grand Slam tournaments | ||||||||||||||||||||
Australian Open | 1R | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 1 | 0–1 | |||
French Open | 1R | 4R | 3R | QF | SF | 2R | SF | W | QF | 2R | 3R | 1R | 2R | 2R | A | 1 / 14 | 34–13 | |||
Wimbledon | Q1 | 1R | 3R | 3R | A | 3R | 3R | 3R | 2R | A | QF | 3R | A | A | A | 0 / 9 | 17–9 | |||
US Open | A | A | A | 1R | 3R | A | A | 2R | 3R | 4R | 1R | A | 3R | A | A | 0 / 7 | 10–7 | |||
Win–loss | 0–2 | 3–2 | 4–2 | 5–3 | 7–2 | 2–2 | 7–2 | 10–2 | 7–3 | 4–2 | 6–3 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1 / 31 | 61–30 | |||
Other | ||||||||||||||||||||
Italian Open | 2R | 2R | 2R | 1R | 2R | 1R | 3R | W | QF | F | QF | 2R | QF | 1R | 1R | 1 / 15 | 27–14 | |||
Ranking | ||||||||||||||||||||
Year-end ranking | – | – | – | – | 14 | 34 | 14 | 7 | 23 | 23 | 29 | 34 | 39 | 76 |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ The statistics differ from those provided by the official ATP website. The ATP site only partially lists Davis Cup matches played between 1977 and 1981, attributing only 22 match wins to Panatta instead of 37. Additionally, the ATP site incorrectly categorizes the 1981 Venice ATP tournament, where Panatta reached the quarter-finals, as a "Challenger." It also lists the 1968 Adelaide and Brisbane tournaments as "Open."
- ^ "Adriano Panatta wins Roland-Garros after saving match point". Tennis Majors. 13 June 2023. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
- ^ "Panatta Topples Borg". New York Times. 10 June 1976. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
- ^ "Quelli che il calcio, nuova edizione: presentatori, ospiti e cast" (in Italian). calciotoday.it. 30 October 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
- ^ "Adriano Panatta Career Haighlighs". gptcatennis.org. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
- ^ "Adriano Panatta". atptour.com. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
- ^ "The legend of Adriano Panatta". amillionsteps.velasca.com. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
- ^ Fava, Gisella; Lovelli, Luca (19 February 2024). "Jannik Sinner continua la sua scalata: è numero 3 al mondo nel ranking ATP dopo il trionfo a Rotterdam!". Olympics.com (in Italian). Retrieved 9 September 2024.
- ^ Pinto, Piergiuseppe (4 June 2024). "Quali tennisti italiani sono stati i numeri 1 al mondo? Sinner è il primo a riuscirci, il suo Roland Garros è su DAZN". DAZN (in Italian). Retrieved 9 September 2024.
- ^ "June 13, 1976: The day Adriano Panatta completed a miraculous title run at Roland-Garros". tennismajors.com. 13 June 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
Panatta would remain the only player to ever defeat the Swede at Roland-Garros.
- ^ Pascale, Joe (14 August 2006). "A Tennis Legend: An Interview with Adriano Panatta". LinkedIn. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
- ^ "Italy in Final On Panatta's Cup Victory". The New York Times. 28 September 1976. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
- ^ "Adriano Panatta". sportspundit.com. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
He served as Captain of the Davis Cup team after his retirement...
- ^ "Powerboat P1, Adriano Panatta punta al record sulla Venezia-Montecarlo" (in Italian). mondonauticablog.com. 23 June 2008. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
- ^ "Sull'onda del massimo brivido" (in Italian). formulapassion.it. 4 June 2020. Retrieved 28 February 2021.
Nel 1990 il campionato non venne assegnato – quando si sarebbe dovuta disputare la 3ª ed ultima manche che avrebbe assegnato il titolo all'equipaggio Adriano Panatta e Antonio Gioffredi – in segno di lutto per la morte del campione in carica Stefano Casiraghi, marito di Carolina di Monaco.
- ^ "Adriano Panatta". ewrc-results.com. Retrieved 28 February 2021.
- ^ "RALLY: PANATTA A SANREMO CON PEUGEOT 309" (in Italian). adnkronos.com. 7 October 1992. Retrieved 28 February 2021.
- ^ Giordano, Lucio (30 December 2022). "Ringrazio Dio di avermi dato un fratello, Adriano Panatta". Dipiù (in Italian). No. 52. pp. 86–89.
- ^ "ATP: SINNER-TRAVAGLIA, SETTIMO DERBY AZZURRO IN FINALE. I PRECEDENTI" (in Italian). federtennis.it. 6 February 2021. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
External links
[edit]- 1950 births
- Living people
- Italian male tennis players
- Italian motorboat racers
- Italian rally drivers
- French Open champions
- Tennis players from Rome
- Grand Slam (tennis) champions in men's singles
- Mediterranean Games bronze medalists for Italy
- Mediterranean Games medalists in tennis
- Competitors at the 1971 Mediterranean Games
- Italian atheists
- 20th-century Italian sportsmen