Azzurri Tennis Legend Nicola Pietrangeli Passes Away at the Age of 92
The tennis champion is one of only three Italian men to claim a Grand Slam singles title.
The world of tennis says goodbye to a true pioneer: Nicola Pietrangeli, a two-time French Open champion, passed away at 92.
He carved his legacy by emerging as the initial Italian to capture a Grand Slam singles title, achieving his maiden triumph at the French Open in 1959 and successfully defending the prestigious trophy in 1960.
With a remarkable 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was long held to be the nation's greatest ever 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 titan. Nicola Pietrangeli, the only Italian honored in the World Tennis Hall of Fame, has passed away," announced the Italian Tennis Federation.
Alongside his two French Open triumphs, Pietrangeli also was the finalist in Paris in both 1961 and 1964.
He set a record 164 matches played for Italy in the prestigious team competition, securing victories in 120 of them, and led his country to its maiden title in 1976.
Officials of the Italian Open, an event where he was a double winner, stated: "We are profoundly saddened that we say goodbye to Nicola Pietrangeli, a true legend of Italian tennis..."
