Azzurri Tennis Icon Nicola Pietrangeli Has Died at 92
Nicola Pietrangeli stands as one of only three Italian men to win a major singles title.
The world of tennis says goodbye to a genuine icon: Nicola Pietrangeli, a double French Open champion, has died at the age of 92.
He carved his legacy by becoming the first Italian to win a Grand Slam singles title, achieving his maiden triumph at the French Open in 1959 and successfully defending the prestigious trophy in 1960.
With a remarkable 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was universally regarded as the nation's finest player prior to the advent of current world number two and four-time major winner Jannik Sinner.
"The sport in Italy is mourning an titan. Nicola Pietrangeli, the sole Italian inducted in the World Tennis Hall of Fame, has died," 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 guided his country to its maiden title in 1976.
Officials of the Italian Open, an event where he was a double winner, said: "It is with deep sadness that we say goodbye to Nicola Pietrangeli, a true legend of Italian tennis..."
