Azzurri Tennis Legend Nicola Pietrangeli Passes Away at 92
Nicola Pietrangeli remains 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 two-time French Open champion, has died at 92.
He carved his legacy by emerging as the pioneering Italian to win a Grand Slam singles title, earning his first triumph at the French Open in 1959 and successfully defending the prestigious trophy in 1960.
With an impressive 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was long held to be the nation's most accomplished player prior to the advent of current world number two and four-time major winner Jannik Sinner.
"The sport in Italy is in mourning for an icon. Nicola Pietrangeli, the sole Italian inducted in the International Tennis Hall of Fame, has passed away," announced the national federation.
In addition to his two French Open triumphs, Pietrangeli also reached the final in Paris in the years 1961 and 1964.
He set a record 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, an event where he was a double winner, said: "We are profoundly saddened that we say goodbye to Nicola Pietrangeli, a true legend of Italian tennis..."
