Azzurri Court Great Nicola Pietrangeli Dies at 92
Nicola Pietrangeli stands as one of only three Italian men to win a major singles title.
Italian sport mourns a authentic icon: Nicola Pietrangeli, a double French Open champion, passed away at ninety-two.
The player made history by becoming the initial Italian to secure a Grand Slam singles title, achieving his first triumph at the French Open in 1959 and successfully defending the prestigious trophy a year later.
With a remarkable 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was universally regarded as the nation's finest player until the advent of current world number two and four-times major winner Jannik Sinner.
"The sport in Italy is grieving an titan. Nicola Pietrangeli, the sole Italian inducted in the International Tennis Hall of Fame, has passed away," stated the national federation.
In addition to his two French Open triumphs, Pietrangeli also was the finalist in Paris in the years 1961 and 1964.
He set a record 164 matches played for Italy in the Davis Cup, securing victories in 120 of them, and guided his country to its inaugural title in 1976.
Organisers of the Italian Open, where he was a double winner, commented: "It is with deep sadness that we say goodbye to Nicola Pietrangeli, a veritable legend of Italian tennis..."
