Italy's Court Great Nicola Pietrangeli Has Died at Ninety-Two
Nicola Pietrangeli stands as among a select trio of Italian men to secure a major singles title.
The world of tennis says goodbye to a authentic icon: Nicola Pietrangeli, a double French Open champion, passed away at the age of 92.
The player made history by emerging as the initial Italian to secure a Grand Slam singles title, earning his maiden triumph at the French Open in 1959 and retaining the prestigious trophy a year later.
With a remarkable 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was long held to be the country's greatest ever player prior to the emergence of current world number two and four-times major winner Jannik Sinner.
"The sport in Italy is mourning an legend. Nicola Pietrangeli, the only Italian honored in the International Tennis Hall of Fame, has died," stated the Italian Tennis Federation.
Beyond his two French Open triumphs, Pietrangeli also was the finalist in Paris in the years 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, an event where he was a two-time winner, stated: "It is with deep sadness that we say goodbye to Nicola Pietrangeli, a veritable legend of Italian tennis..."