Azzurri Tennis Icon Nicola Pietrangeli Dies at the Age of 92
Nicola Pietrangeli is one of only three Italian men to win a Grand Slam singles title.
The world of tennis says goodbye to a genuine pioneer: Nicola Pietrangeli, a double French Open champion, passed away at ninety-two.
He carved his legacy by emerging as the first Italian to capture a Grand Slam singles title, securing his initial triumph at Roland Garros in 1959 and retaining the coveted trophy the following year.
With a staggering 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was widely considered the nation's most accomplished player prior to the advent of current star and four-times major winner Jannik Sinner.
"The sport in Italy is grieving an legend. Nicola Pietrangeli, the sole Italian inducted in the International Tennis Hall of Fame, has passed away," stated the Italian Tennis Federation.
In addition to his pair of French Open triumphs, Pietrangeli also reached the final 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 led his country to its maiden title in 1976.
Officials 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..."
