Azzurri Court Legend Nicola Pietrangeli Passes Away at the Age of 92
The tennis champion stands as one of only three Italian men to win a Grand Slam singles title.
The world of tennis is mourning a authentic legend: Nicola Pietrangeli, a double French Open champion, left us at 92.
He carved his legacy by becoming the pioneering Italian to win a Grand Slam singles title, achieving his initial triumph at the French Open in 1959 and retaining the prestigious trophy the following year.
With a remarkable 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was universally regarded as the country's most accomplished player prior to the advent of current world number two and four-times major winner Jannik Sinner.
"Italian tennis is in mourning for an titan. Nicola Pietrangeli, the sole Italian honored in the World Tennis Hall of Fame, has died," stated the Italian Tennis Federation.
Beyond his two French Open successes, Pietrangeli also finished as runner-up in Paris in both 1961 and 1964.
He holds a record 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.
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..."
