Azzurri Tennis Legend Nicola Pietrangeli Has Died at 92
The tennis champion stands as among a select trio of Italian men to secure a major singles title.
The world of tennis is mourning a authentic pioneer: Nicola Pietrangeli, a double French Open champion, passed away at the age of 92.
The player made history by becoming the initial Italian to secure a Grand Slam singles title, achieving his first triumph at Roland Garros in 1959 and successfully defending the coveted trophy the following year.
With a staggering 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was widely considered the nation's most accomplished player until the emergence of current star and four-time major winner Jannik Sinner.
"The sport in Italy is mourning an icon. Nicola Pietrangeli, the sole Italian enrolled in the International Tennis Hall of Fame, has died," announced the national federation.
In addition to his pair of French Open successes, Pietrangeli also reached the final in Paris in both 1961 and 1964.
He boasts a remarkable 164 matches played for Italy in the Davis Cup, 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, commented: "It is with deep sadness that we say goodbye to Nicola Pietrangeli, a true legend of Italian tennis..."
