Azzurri Tennis Icon Nicola Pietrangeli Has Died at 92
Nicola Pietrangeli remains among a select trio of Italian men to win a Grand Slam singles title.
The world of tennis is mourning a true icon: Nicola Pietrangeli, a two-time French Open champion, has died at 92.
Pietrangeli etched his name by emerging as the first Italian to secure a Grand Slam singles title, earning his initial triumph at the French Open in 1959 and retaining the coveted trophy in 1960.
With a remarkable 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was long held to be the country's finest player until the rise of current star and four-times major winner Jannik Sinner.
"The sport in Italy is in mourning for an titan. Nicola Pietrangeli, the only Italian enrolled in the World Tennis Hall of Fame, has passed away," confirmed the national federation.
In addition to his two French Open victories, Pietrangeli also was the finalist in Paris in the years 1961 and 1964.
He holds a remarkable 164 matches played for Italy in the Davis Cup, winning 120 of them, and guided his country to its maiden title in 1976.
Officials of the Italian Open, an event where he was a two-time winner, said: "It is with deep sadness that we say goodbye to Nicola Pietrangeli, a veritable legend of Italian tennis..."
