Italy's Court Legend Nicola Pietrangeli Has Died at the Age of 92
Nicola Pietrangeli is among a select trio of Italian men to win a major singles title.
The world of tennis is mourning a authentic pioneer: Nicola Pietrangeli, a double French Open champion, has died at ninety-two.
He carved his legacy by becoming the initial Italian to win a Grand Slam singles title, achieving his initial triumph at the French Open in 1959 and successfully defending the coveted trophy a year later.
With a remarkable 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was widely considered the country's most accomplished player prior to the rise of current world number two and four-times major winner Jannik Sinner.
"The sport in Italy is in mourning for an icon. Nicola Pietrangeli, the sole Italian honored in the International Tennis Hall of Fame, has passed away," announced the national federation.
In addition to his pair of French Open victories, Pietrangeli also was the finalist in Paris in both 1961 and 1964.
He holds a record 164 matches played for Italy in the prestigious team competition, winning 120 of them, and guided his country to its inaugural title in 1976.
Organisers of the Italian Open, where he was a two-time winner, stated: "We are profoundly saddened that we say goodbye to Nicola Pietrangeli, a true legend of Italian tennis..."
