Italian Tennis Icon Nicola Pietrangeli Has Died at 92
The tennis champion stands as one of only three Italian men to secure a Grand Slam singles title.
Italian sport is mourning a true legend: Nicola Pietrangeli, a two-time French Open champion, passed away at 92.
He carved his legacy by emerging as the initial Italian to win a Grand Slam singles title, earning his initial triumph at the French Open in 1959 and retaining the prestigious trophy in 1960.
With a remarkable 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was long held to be the nation's finest player until the emergence of current star and four-times major winner Jannik Sinner.
"The sport in Italy is mourning an legend. Nicola Pietrangeli, the sole Italian honored in the International 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 both 1961 and 1964.
He holds a record 164 matches played for Italy in the Davis Cup, securing victories in 120 of them, and led his country to its inaugural title in 1976.
Officials of the Italian Open, where he was a double winner, commented: "It is with deep sadness that we say goodbye to Nicola Pietrangeli, a true legend of Italian tennis..."
