Italian Tennis Icon Nicola Pietrangeli Has Died at Ninety-Two
Nicola Pietrangeli is one of only three Italian men to win a Grand Slam singles title.
Italian sport is mourning a authentic legend: Nicola Pietrangeli, a double French Open champion, left us at the age of 92.
The player made history by becoming the initial Italian to secure a Grand Slam singles title, securing his maiden triumph at the French Open in 1959 and retaining the coveted trophy in 1960.
With a staggering 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was widely considered the country's finest player prior to the advent of current star and four-time major winner Jannik Sinner.
"Italian tennis is in mourning for an legend. Nicola Pietrangeli, the sole Italian honored in the World Tennis Hall of Fame, has passed away," confirmed the Italian Tennis Federation.
Beyond his pair of French Open triumphs, Pietrangeli also was the finalist in Paris in the years 1961 and 1964.
He holds a record 164 matches played for Italy in the prestigious team competition, winning 120 of them, and spearheaded his country to its first title in 1976.
Organisers of the Italian Open, an event where he was a double winner, commented: "We are profoundly saddened that we bid farewell to Nicola Pietrangeli, a true legend of Italian tennis..."