Italy's Tennis Great Nicola Pietrangeli Dies at the Age of 92
Nicola Pietrangeli stands as among a select trio of Italian men to win a Grand Slam singles title.
The world of tennis says goodbye to a genuine legend: Nicola Pietrangeli, a two-time French Open champion, passed away at 92.
He carved his legacy by emerging as the initial Italian to capture a Grand Slam singles title, securing his maiden triumph at the French Open in 1959 and retaining the prestigious trophy the following year.
With an impressive 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was universally regarded as the country'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 legend. Nicola Pietrangeli, the only Italian honored in the International Tennis Hall of Fame, has died," announced 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 prestigious team competition, winning 120 of them, and led his country to its inaugural title in 1976.
Organisers of the Italian Open, where he was a double winner, stated: "We are profoundly saddened that we say goodbye to Nicola Pietrangeli, a true legend of Italian tennis..."
