Italy's Court Icon Nicola Pietrangeli Dies at 92
Nicola Pietrangeli is one of only three Italian men to win a Grand Slam singles title.
The world of tennis mourns a true legend: Nicola Pietrangeli, a double French Open champion, left us at the age of 92.
He carved his legacy by becoming the initial Italian to secure a Grand Slam singles title, achieving his first triumph at the French Open in 1959 and retaining the prestigious trophy a year later.
With a staggering 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was long held to be the nation's finest player prior to the advent of current star and four-times major winner Jannik Sinner.
"The sport in Italy is grieving an icon. Nicola Pietrangeli, the sole Italian enrolled in the World Tennis Hall of Fame, has passed away," announced the national federation.
Alongside his two French Open successes, Pietrangeli also reached the final in Paris in both 1961 and 1964.
He set a remarkable 164 matches played for Italy in the Davis Cup, securing victories in 120 of them, and spearheaded his country to its inaugural title in 1976.
Officials of the Italian Open, where he was a two-time winner, stated: "It is with deep sadness that we bid farewell to Nicola Pietrangeli, a true legend of Italian tennis..."
