Azzurri Court Great Nicola Pietrangeli Dies at the Age of 92
The tennis champion remains one of only three Italian men to claim a Grand Slam singles title.
The world of tennis says goodbye to a true icon: Nicola Pietrangeli, a double French Open champion, left us at the age of 92.
Pietrangeli etched his name by becoming the initial Italian to capture a Grand Slam singles title, achieving his maiden triumph at Roland Garros in 1959 and successfully defending the coveted trophy a year later.
With a staggering 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was universally regarded as the nation's greatest ever player until the emergence of current star and four-time major winner Jannik Sinner.
"Italian tennis is grieving an icon. Nicola Pietrangeli, the only Italian honored in the International Tennis Hall of Fame, has died," announced the Italian Tennis Federation.
Beyond his two French Open triumphs, Pietrangeli also reached the final in Paris in both 1961 and 1964.
He holds a remarkable 164 matches played for Italy in the prestigious team competition, securing victories in 120 of them, and led his country to its inaugural title in 1976.
Officials 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..."
