Azzurri Tennis Great Nicola Pietrangeli Passes Away at Ninety-Two
Nicola Pietrangeli is among a select trio of Italian men to secure a Grand Slam singles title.
The world of tennis is mourning a genuine pioneer: Nicola Pietrangeli, a two-time French Open champion, has died at 92.
Pietrangeli etched his name by becoming the initial Italian to secure a Grand Slam singles title, earning his initial triumph at the French Open in 1959 and retaining the prestigious trophy the following year.
With a staggering 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was long held to be the country's finest player prior to the advent of current star and four-time major winner Jannik Sinner.
"The sport in Italy is in mourning for an icon. Nicola Pietrangeli, the only Italian enrolled in the World Tennis Hall of Fame, has passed away," confirmed the national federation.
Alongside his pair of French Open successes, Pietrangeli also finished as runner-up in Paris in the years 1961 and 1964.
He holds a remarkable 164 matches played for Italy in the prestigious team competition, securing victories in 120 of them, and led his country to its maiden title in 1976.
Organisers of the Italian Open, where he was a double winner, commented: "We are profoundly saddened that we bid farewell to Nicola Pietrangeli, a true legend of Italian tennis..."
