Azzurri Court Legend Nicola Pietrangeli Passes Away at Ninety-Two
The tennis champion is among a select trio of Italian men to claim a Grand Slam singles title.
Italian sport mourns a true pioneer: Nicola Pietrangeli, a two-time French Open champion, passed away at 92.
The player made history by becoming the pioneering Italian to secure a Grand Slam singles title, securing his initial triumph at Roland Garros in 1959 and retaining the prestigious trophy in 1960.
With a remarkable 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was universally regarded as the nation's finest player until the rise of current star and four-times major winner Jannik Sinner.
"Italian tennis is mourning an legend. Nicola Pietrangeli, the only Italian enrolled in the International Tennis Hall of Fame, has passed away," announced the Italian Tennis Federation.
Beyond his two French Open triumphs, Pietrangeli also reached the final in Paris in the years 1961 and 1964.
He set a remarkable 164 matches played for Italy in the Davis Cup, securing victories in 120 of them, and led his country to its inaugural 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 true legend of Italian tennis..."
