Italy's Tennis Icon Nicola Pietrangeli Has Died at Ninety-Two
Nicola Pietrangeli remains one of only three Italian men to claim a Grand Slam singles title.
The world of tennis says goodbye to a genuine icon: Nicola Pietrangeli, a double French Open champion, left us at 92.
He carved his legacy by becoming the pioneering Italian to capture a Grand Slam singles title, earning his first triumph at Roland Garros in 1959 and retaining the coveted trophy the following year.
With a remarkable 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was long held to be the nation's finest player prior to the emergence of current star and four-times major winner Jannik Sinner.
"Italian tennis is in mourning for an icon. Nicola Pietrangeli, the only Italian honored in the International Tennis Hall of Fame, has passed away," confirmed the national federation.
Beyond his two French Open triumphs, Pietrangeli also finished as runner-up in Paris in both 1961 and 1964.
He set a remarkable 164 matches played for Italy in the prestigious team competition, winning 120 of them, and guided his country to its maiden title in 1976.
Officials of the Italian Open, where he was a double winner, said: "It is with deep sadness that we say goodbye to Nicola Pietrangeli, a true legend of Italian tennis..."
