Italian Tennis Great Nicola Pietrangeli Dies at Ninety-Two
The tennis champion is among a select trio of Italian men to claim a major singles title.
The world of tennis says goodbye to a true icon: Nicola Pietrangeli, a two-time French Open champion, passed away at ninety-two.
He carved his legacy by emerging as the initial Italian to secure a Grand Slam singles title, earning his first triumph at the French Open in 1959 and successfully defending the prestigious trophy the following year.
With an impressive 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was widely considered the country's finest player until the rise of current world number two and four-time major winner Jannik Sinner.
"Italian tennis is mourning an titan. Nicola Pietrangeli, the sole Italian inducted in the World Tennis Hall of Fame, has passed away," confirmed the Italian Tennis Federation.
In addition to his pair of French Open victories, Pietrangeli also reached the final in Paris in the years 1961 and 1964.
He boasts a record 164 matches played for Italy in the prestigious team competition, securing victories in 120 of them, and spearheaded his country to its maiden title in 1976.
Organisers of the Italian Open, where he was a two-time winner, stated: "We are profoundly saddened that we bid farewell to Nicola Pietrangeli, a veritable legend of Italian tennis..."
