Azzurri Tennis Great Nicola Pietrangeli Has Died at the Age of 92
The tennis champion is among a select trio of Italian men to claim a major singles title.
The world of tennis mourns a genuine pioneer: Nicola Pietrangeli, a double French Open champion, has died at 92.
He carved his legacy by emerging as the pioneering Italian to capture a Grand Slam singles title, earning his maiden triumph at the French Open in 1959 and retaining the coveted trophy in 1960.
With an impressive 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was widely considered the nation's most accomplished player until the emergence of current star and four-time major winner Jannik Sinner.
"The sport in Italy is mourning an icon. Nicola Pietrangeli, the sole Italian honored in the International Tennis Hall of Fame, has passed away," stated the Italian Tennis Federation.
Beyond his two French Open successes, Pietrangeli also was the finalist in Paris in the years 1961 and 1964.
He boasts a remarkable 164 matches played for Italy in the Davis Cup, securing victories in 120 of them, and guided his country to its maiden title in 1976.
Organisers of the Italian Open, an event where he was a double winner, commented: "It is with deep sadness that we bid farewell to Nicola Pietrangeli, a veritable legend of Italian tennis..."