Azzurri Court Icon Nicola Pietrangeli Has Died at Ninety-Two
The tennis champion remains one of only three Italian men to claim a major singles title.
Italian sport mourns a true pioneer: Nicola Pietrangeli, a double French Open champion, has died at 92.
He carved his legacy by emerging as the initial Italian to secure a Grand Slam singles title, earning his initial triumph at the French Open in 1959 and successfully defending the prestigious trophy the following year.
With an impressive 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was universally regarded as the country's most accomplished player prior to the emergence of current star and four-times major winner Jannik Sinner.
"Italian tennis is mourning an legend. Nicola Pietrangeli, the only Italian enrolled in the International Tennis Hall of Fame, has passed away," announced the national federation.
Beyond his two French Open successes, Pietrangeli also finished as runner-up in Paris in the years 1961 and 1964.
He boasts a remarkable 164 matches played for Italy in the prestigious team competition, winning 120 of them, and spearheaded his country to its inaugural title in 1976.
Officials of the Italian Open, where he was a two-time winner, commented: "We are profoundly saddened that we bid farewell to Nicola Pietrangeli, a true legend of Italian tennis..."
