Italy's Court Icon Nicola Pietrangeli Has Died at the Age of 92
The tennis champion remains one of only three Italian men to secure a major singles title.
The world of tennis is mourning a true legend: Nicola Pietrangeli, a double French Open champion, passed away at ninety-two.
He carved his legacy by emerging as the initial Italian to capture a Grand Slam singles title, earning his initial triumph at Roland Garros in 1959 and successfully defending the prestigious trophy in 1960.
With a remarkable 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was universally regarded as the nation's most accomplished player until the emergence of current world number two and four-times major winner Jannik Sinner.
"The sport in Italy is mourning an legend. Nicola Pietrangeli, the sole Italian enrolled in the World Tennis Hall of Fame, has passed away," confirmed the Italian Tennis Federation.
Alongside his two French Open triumphs, Pietrangeli also finished as runner-up in Paris in both 1961 and 1964.
He boasts a record 164 matches played for Italy in the Davis Cup, securing victories in 120 of them, and led his country to its first title in 1976.
Organisers of the Italian Open, an event where he was a two-time winner, said: "It is with deep sadness that we bid farewell to Nicola Pietrangeli, a true legend of Italian tennis..."
