Italy's Court Great Nicola Pietrangeli Passes Away at Ninety-Two
Nicola Pietrangeli remains one of only three Italian men to win a major singles title.
Italian sport is mourning a authentic legend: Nicola Pietrangeli, a double French Open champion, has died at ninety-two.
He carved his legacy by emerging as the pioneering Italian to capture a Grand Slam singles title, earning his maiden triumph at the French Open in 1959 and successfully defending the coveted trophy the following year.
With an impressive 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was widely considered the nation's greatest ever player until the advent of current star and four-time major winner Jannik Sinner.
"The sport in Italy is grieving an legend. Nicola Pietrangeli, the only Italian inducted in the International Tennis Hall of Fame, has died," confirmed the national federation.
Beyond his pair of French Open victories, Pietrangeli also reached the final in Paris in the years 1961 and 1964.
He holds a record 164 matches played for Italy in the Davis Cup, winning 120 of them, and led his country to its first title in 1976.
Organisers of the Italian Open, where he was a two-time winner, commented: "It is with deep sadness that we say goodbye to Nicola Pietrangeli, a veritable legend of Italian tennis..."
