Azzurri Court Icon Nicola Pietrangeli Passes Away at 92
The tennis champion stands as one of only three Italian men to win a Grand Slam singles title.
The world of tennis is mourning a authentic pioneer: Nicola Pietrangeli, a double French Open champion, left us at 92.
He carved his legacy by emerging as the pioneering Italian to win a Grand Slam singles title, securing his maiden triumph at the French Open in 1959 and retaining the coveted trophy a year later.
With a remarkable 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was widely considered the country's most accomplished player prior to the advent of current world number two and four-times major winner Jannik Sinner.
"Italian tennis is mourning an titan. Nicola Pietrangeli, the only Italian honored in the World Tennis Hall of Fame, has passed away," announced the Italian Tennis Federation.
Beyond his pair of French Open triumphs, Pietrangeli also was the finalist in Paris in both 1961 and 1964.
He set a record 164 matches played for Italy in the prestigious team competition, securing victories in 120 of them, and guided his country to its maiden title in 1976.
Organisers of the Italian Open, where he was a double winner, stated: "We are profoundly saddened that we bid farewell to Nicola Pietrangeli, a true legend of Italian tennis..."
