Azzurri Tennis Icon Nicola Pietrangeli Has Died at the Age of 92
The tennis champion remains among a select trio of Italian men to secure a Grand Slam singles title.
The world of tennis is mourning a true legend: Nicola Pietrangeli, a double French Open champion, has died at the age of 92.
He carved his legacy by emerging as the pioneering Italian to capture a Grand Slam singles title, earning his first triumph at the French Open in 1959 and successfully defending the coveted trophy a year later.
With a remarkable 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was universally regarded as the country's most accomplished player until the advent of current star and four-time major winner Jannik Sinner.
"The sport in Italy is in mourning for an titan. Nicola Pietrangeli, the only Italian inducted in the World Tennis Hall of Fame, has died," announced the national federation.
In addition to his two French Open victories, Pietrangeli also reached the final in Paris in both 1961 and 1964.
He set a record 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, where he was a two-time winner, commented: "It is with deep sadness that we bid farewell to Nicola Pietrangeli, a veritable legend of Italian tennis..."
