🔗 Share this article Italy's Court Legend Nicola Pietrangeli Dies at Ninety-Two Nicola Pietrangeli stands as among a select trio of Italian men to secure a major singles title. Italian sport says goodbye to a authentic icon: Nicola Pietrangeli, a double French Open champion, left us at 92. Pietrangeli etched his name by becoming the pioneering Italian to capture a Grand Slam singles title, earning his first triumph at Roland Garros in 1959 and retaining the coveted trophy the following year. With an impressive 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was widely considered the country's finest player prior to the advent of current star and four-times major winner Jannik Sinner. "Italian tennis is grieving an legend. Nicola Pietrangeli, the only Italian enrolled in the International Tennis Hall of Fame, has passed away," announced the Italian Tennis Federation. Alongside his pair of French Open triumphs, Pietrangeli also was the finalist in Paris in the years 1961 and 1964. He boasts a remarkable 164 matches played for Italy in the Davis Cup, securing victories in 120 of them, and spearheaded 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 bid farewell to Nicola Pietrangeli, a veritable legend of Italian tennis..."
Nicola Pietrangeli stands as among a select trio of Italian men to secure a major singles title. Italian sport says goodbye to a authentic icon: Nicola Pietrangeli, a double French Open champion, left us at 92. Pietrangeli etched his name by becoming the pioneering Italian to capture a Grand Slam singles title, earning his first triumph at Roland Garros in 1959 and retaining the coveted trophy the following year. With an impressive 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was widely considered the country's finest player prior to the advent of current star and four-times major winner Jannik Sinner. "Italian tennis is grieving an legend. Nicola Pietrangeli, the only Italian enrolled in the International Tennis Hall of Fame, has passed away," announced the Italian Tennis Federation. Alongside his pair of French Open triumphs, Pietrangeli also was the finalist in Paris in the years 1961 and 1964. He boasts a remarkable 164 matches played for Italy in the Davis Cup, securing victories in 120 of them, and spearheaded 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 bid farewell to Nicola Pietrangeli, a veritable legend of Italian tennis..."