Azzurri Court Icon Nicola Pietrangeli Dies at the Age of 92
Nicola Pietrangeli stands as one of only three Italian men to win a major singles title.
Italian sport says goodbye to a authentic icon: Nicola Pietrangeli, a two-time French Open champion, passed away at ninety-two.
The player made history by becoming the pioneering Italian to capture a Grand Slam singles title, achieving his first triumph at Roland Garros in 1959 and successfully defending the coveted trophy in 1960.
With an impressive 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was widely considered the country's most accomplished player prior to the emergence of current star and four-time major winner Jannik Sinner.
"The sport in Italy is mourning an titan. Nicola Pietrangeli, the only Italian enrolled in the World Tennis Hall of Fame, has passed away," stated the Italian Tennis Federation.
In addition to his pair of French Open successes, Pietrangeli also was the finalist in Paris in both 1961 and 1964.
He holds a remarkable 164 matches played for Italy in the prestigious team competition, winning 120 of them, and guided his country to its maiden title in 1976.
Organisers 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..."
