Elena Pero, the historic voice of Italian tennis and a broadcaster for Sky Sport, has died at the age of 60 following a long illness. Her network announced the loss of a journalist who spent more than three decades shaping how millions experienced the sport.
The Voice That Defined Modern Italian Tennis
Her final broadcast on the air was the July 2025 Wimbledon men’s singles final. There, she called Jannik Sinner securing his second title at the Championships alongside broadcast partner Paolo Bertolucci. According to coverage from Italian Tennis, she maintained her broadcast schedule throughout her illness, delivering her final match description from the All England Club during Sinner’s run to the 2025 title.
From Koper Capodistria to Tele+ and Sky Sport
Pero began her professional journey with the sports column He’s great tennis on Koper Capodistria. In 1991, she transitioned to Tele+, where she was hired as a trainee journalist by Rino Tommasi. Following the merger of Tele+ and Stream that created Sky Sport, she established herself as the network’s principal tennis commentator.
Across her career, she covered Grand Slam tournaments, Masters 1000 events, and the Nitto ATP Finals with an understated, precise style that avoided rhetoric or excess.
The Partnership With Paolo Bertolucci
Working for over twenty years alongside Paolo Bertolucci, Pero built a partnership recognized across the sport for its technical depth and calm delivery.
That steady collaboration became the auditory backdrop for generations of Italian fans, tracking the sport’s evolution through eras of immense change without ever losing its signature composure.
Tributes From the FITP and Sky Sport
The Italian Tennis and Padel Federation (FITP), led by President Angelo Binaghi alongside the federal council, issued formal condolences to Pero’s husband, Sky Sport producer Sergio Velli, and their daughter Martina.
Sky Sport released a statement remembering her as a colleague who carried forward the heavy broadcast legacy of Rino Tommasi while defining an era of tennis coverage for millions of Italian viewers.
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