Azzurri Court Icon Nicola Pietrangeli Has Died at Ninety-Two
Nicola Pietrangeli is among a select trio of Italian men to claim a major singles title.
The world of tennis says goodbye to a authentic legend: Nicola Pietrangeli, a double French Open champion, left us at 92.
He carved his legacy by emerging as the pioneering Italian to win a Grand Slam singles title, achieving his first triumph at the French Open in 1959 and successfully defending the coveted trophy in 1960.
With a staggering 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was universally regarded as the nation's most accomplished player until the rise of current world number two and four-time major winner Jannik Sinner.
"Italian tennis is in mourning for an icon. Nicola Pietrangeli, the only Italian inducted in the International Tennis Hall of Fame, has passed away," stated the Italian Tennis Federation.
Beyond his pair of French Open victories, Pietrangeli also finished as runner-up in Paris in both 1961 and 1964.
He set a record 164 matches played for Italy in the prestigious team competition, winning 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: "It is with deep sadness that we say goodbye to Nicola Pietrangeli, a true legend of Italian tennis..."
