Italian tennis commentator Elena Pero dies at 60 following illness
Sky Sport tennis commentator Elena Pero died at 60 following an extended illness, after calling Jannik Sinner's Wimbledon championship victory in July 2026.
Sky Sport announces passing of tennis commentator
Italian sports broadcaster Sky Sport announced on 24 September 2026 that tennis commentator and journalist Elena Pero died at the age of 60. The network confirmed her death on its official website, noting that she had been dealing with an illness for an extended period. Pero continued her commentary work throughout her illness, maintaining her regular broadcasting schedule for tennis tournaments as long as her health allowed. Sky Sport issued a statement expressing profound grief across its newsroom and paying tribute to her role as one of the most prominent figures in Italian sports media. Colleagues and broadcast partners remembered her as a defining voice who brought precision and passion to sports coverage.
A dramatic piece of news, with the deep grief that all the people of Sky, that the entire Sky Sport community feels at this moment: Elena Pero has died, the great voice of tennis, one of the most relevant figures in Italy's sports journalism landscape. But for us above all a colleague, a friend, an extraordinary and unforgettable person.
Final broadcast at Wimbledon
Pero delivered her final live television commentary on 13 July 2026 during the gentlemen's singles final at Wimbledon in London. She called the championship match between Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev from the commentary booth alongside former professional players Paolo Bertolucci and Ivan Ljubicic. The broadcast covered Sinner's tournament victory, which was the final match the Italian player competed in before suffering a physical injury. As Sinner converted the final point of the contest, Pero provided an emotional conclusion to the broadcast that resonated across the Italian sports audience.
Sinner wins. A match that was not easy and because of that we will remember it as infinitely beautiful!
- Hired by Rino Tommasi to join the newly founded Tele+ television network
- Calls Jannik Sinner's Wimbledon final victory over Alexander Zverev alongside Paolo Bertolucci and Ivan Ljubicic
- Sky Sport announces the death of Elena Pero at age 60 following an illness
Career spanning Tele+ and Sky Italia
Pero began her career in televised sports journalism in 1991 when the pay-television network Tele+ was founded in Italy. Veteran tennis journalist Rino Tommasi selected and hired her for the station's tennis division, serving as her primary mentor as she developed her commentary style. She subsequently assumed the primary tennis play-by-play duties for the channel, later continuing that position through the transition to Sky Sport. Throughout her decades on the air, she narrated men's and women's professional tournaments alongside former tennis professionals and fellow commentators. Sky Sport placed her among the preeminent figures of Italian broadcast history, citing her alongside Nicolò Carosio, Nando Martellini, Paolo Rosi, Alfredo Pigna, Adriano De Zan, Rino Tommasi, and Gianni Clerici.
Tributes and personal legacy
In its published editorial tribute, Sky Sport praised Pero for her professionalism, integrity, and warmth toward colleagues throughout her decades in the newsroom. The network noted that she narrated key moments of Italian sports history to millions of viewers across the nation, culminating in the recent successes of Italian tennis players at Grand Slam championships. Tributes emphasized her ability to balance analytical rigor with engaging storytelling during long multi-set tournament matches. Pero leaves behind her family, including her husband, Sergio Velli, and her daughter, Martina.
