Tuesday 3 July 1979 a historic date for Italian tennis, the tennis player Adriano Panatta makes the Italians dream from the grassy fields of Wimbledon . However, when it comes to history, it doesn’t always end with a positive outcome. In fact, fate is mocking and Panatta unfortunately leaves the scene in the quarterfinals against the American Pat Dupre .
The Italian summer is hot (especially from the point of view of crime news for the years of lead ) but, as often happens for major sporting events, Italians try in every way to tune in to the radio and TV to listen the chronicles of Rai from the central field ofWimbledon .
The Roman Panatta is ready to play all out in the magical British Grand Slam that all tennis players in the world dream of winning at least once.
There are those who are a veteran of victories, like the Swiss Roger Federer in the present or as the Swede Bjorn Borg was in the past , and those like Panatta in that year felt they could do very well, after the victories in the years on the red clay of Rome , Madrid and especially Paris at Roland Garros .
In 1979 Italy and with the blue tennis playerwhich is making everyone dream and thrill. He was seeded and therefore had the opportunity to train the week before on the fields where he would later play.
The favors are all from him, apart from a wild Bjorn Borg who on the other side of the board is knocking down his opponents one by one to immediately reach the final.
The first appearances slide smoothly.
The Spaniard Jimenez in the first round , beaten without worries three sets to zero.
Second was the English wild card Smith . Victory in the fifth set with a clear 6-3.
Third round against the giant Swedish Bengston : three tie breaks in a row, all for Panatta.
Bengston was so tall that he was needed from the third floor, a nice guy, loyal and intelligent. He is now a top manager of a large company.
In the second round and face to face with the fast American Sandy Meyer . Panatta plays well and with a 6-3 and two tie breaks brings home a well-deserved victory and quarter-finals in his pocket.
On the wings of enthusiasm, the Italian racquet knows that it is in shape and can really achieve something good on English grass.
In the quarterfinals, Panatta knows very well that the American Pat Dupre is just another victim to defeat in order to reach the final against the other favorite of the tournament, Borg .
The match got off to a great start thanks to an agile 6-3 for the Roman. The second set starts even better: 4-1.
The very Roman scream, from Foro Italico “A-dri-a-no, A-dri-a-no” , echoes at Wimbledon.
Very fast court, Slazenger balls as well. I hit well, I have perfect impact time, I don’t see how Dupre can react.
However, perhaps presumption, curse or something else breaks the spell. Adriano Panatta begins to lose shots and get nervous and that clear 4-1 becomes an unfortunate 6-3 for the American.
By now the blue tennis player loses that lucidity shown up to that part of the English tournament. In the third set the two contenders are now equal and the Italian manages to pass the tie break.
The fourth set, however, draws the descending parable of the match for Panatta. 6-4 for Dupre who is then repeated in the fifth and last set for 6-3.
Bitter defeat, perhaps very bitter that still burns to the Italians and the Italians who so much believed that Panatta could go to the bottom of the English Grand Slam.
The regret is there and not only for the defeat but above all because on the pitch I was very serious and humble but for the first time I thought I had already won.
Dario Sette
