Nicola Pietrangeli, Italy’s tennis maestro who danced on clay, dies at 92

Tennis - ATP Finals - Pala Alpitour, Turin, Italy - November 19, 2023 Former Italy tennis player Nicola Pietrangeli is seen after Italy's Jannik Sinner loses the final against Serbia's Novak Djokovic REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane

Dec 1 (Reuters) - During a break in the French Open final, in 1960, Nicola Pietrangeli took his shoes off in the locker room. His socks were red with blood.

In the first three sets, Chile's Luis Ayala had been tormenting Pietrangeli with drop shots and lobs, forcing the Italian tennis player to sprint forward and back until the skin peeled off his feet.