Italian Court Great Nicola Pietrangeli Passes Away at 92
Nicola Pietrangeli remains among a select trio of Italian men to win a major singles title.
The world of tennis says goodbye to a true icon: Nicola Pietrangeli, a two-time French Open champion, passed away at 92.
The player made history by becoming the initial Italian to capture a Grand Slam singles title, achieving his first triumph at Roland Garros in 1959 and successfully defending the prestigious trophy in 1960.
With a staggering 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was widely considered the country's finest player until the advent of current star and four-time major winner Jannik Sinner.
"Italian tennis is mourning an icon. Nicola Pietrangeli, the sole Italian enrolled in the World Tennis Hall of Fame, has passed away," stated the Italian Tennis Federation.
In addition to his two French Open successes, Pietrangeli also reached the final in Paris in the years 1961 and 1964.
He holds a record 164 matches played for Italy in the prestigious team competition, securing victories in 120 of them, and guided his country to its first title in 1976.
Officials of the Italian Open, where he was a two-time winner, said: "It is with deep sadness that we say goodbye to Nicola Pietrangeli, a true legend of Italian tennis..."
