Italian Court Great Nicola Pietrangeli Dies at Ninety-Two
Nicola Pietrangeli is among a select trio of Italian men to secure a Grand Slam singles title.
The world of tennis is mourning a authentic pioneer: Nicola Pietrangeli, a two-time 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, earning his initial triumph at Roland Garros in 1959 and retaining the coveted trophy the following year.
With a staggering 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was long held to be the country's finest player until the emergence of current world number two and four-time major winner Jannik Sinner.
"Italian tennis is mourning an titan. Nicola Pietrangeli, the only Italian enrolled in the World Tennis Hall of Fame, has passed away," announced the Italian Tennis Federation.
In addition to his two French Open successes, Pietrangeli also was the finalist in Paris in the years 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 maiden title in 1976.
Organisers of the Italian Open, where he was a double winner, said: "We are profoundly saddened that we say goodbye to Nicola Pietrangeli, a veritable legend of Italian tennis..."
