Italian Court Great Nicola Pietrangeli Has Died at Ninety-Two
Nicola Pietrangeli remains 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 double French Open champion, has died at the age of 92.
The player made history by becoming the first Italian to secure a Grand Slam singles title, earning his maiden triumph at the French Open in 1959 and successfully defending the coveted trophy in 1960.
With a staggering 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was long held to be the nation's most accomplished player prior to the emergence of current star and four-time 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 died," announced 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 boasts a remarkable 164 matches played for Italy in the prestigious team competition, winning 120 of them, and led his country to its inaugural title in 1976.
Officials of the Italian Open, where he was a two-time winner, said: "It is with deep sadness that we bid farewell to Nicola Pietrangeli, a true legend of Italian tennis..."
