Italy's Tennis Great Nicola Pietrangeli Dies at the Age of 92
The tennis champion remains one of only three Italian men to win a major singles title.
The world of tennis mourns a authentic icon: Nicola Pietrangeli, a double French Open champion, passed away at ninety-two.
The player made history by emerging as the pioneering Italian to win a Grand Slam singles title, securing his initial triumph at Roland Garros in 1959 and retaining the coveted trophy a year later.
With a remarkable 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was long held to be the country's finest player prior to the rise of current star and four-time major winner Jannik Sinner.
"The sport in Italy is grieving an icon. Nicola Pietrangeli, the only Italian inducted in the World Tennis Hall of Fame, has passed away," announced the Italian Tennis Federation.
Alongside his pair of French Open victories, Pietrangeli also was the finalist in Paris in the years 1961 and 1964.
He holds a remarkable 164 matches played for Italy in the Davis Cup, securing victories in 120 of them, and spearheaded his country to its inaugural title in 1976.
Officials of the Italian Open, an event where he was a two-time winner, commented: "It is with deep sadness that we say goodbye to Nicola Pietrangeli, a true legend of Italian tennis..."
