🔗 Share this article Italian Tennis Great Nicola Pietrangeli Has Died at the Age of 92 Nicola Pietrangeli stands as one of only three Italian men to win a major singles title. Italian sport mourns a true legend: Nicola Pietrangeli, a double French Open champion, left us at 92. Pietrangeli etched his name by emerging as the initial Italian to capture a Grand Slam singles title, securing his initial triumph at Roland Garros in 1959 and retaining the prestigious trophy a year later. With an impressive 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was universally regarded as the country's finest player until the emergence of current world number two and four-times major winner Jannik Sinner. "Italian tennis is in mourning for an icon. Nicola Pietrangeli, the sole Italian enrolled in the International Tennis Hall of Fame, has passed away," announced the national federation. In addition to his two French Open victories, Pietrangeli also finished as runner-up in Paris in both 1961 and 1964. He holds a record 164 matches played for Italy in the prestigious team competition, winning 120 of them, and guided his country to its first title in 1976. Officials of the Italian Open, where he was a double winner, said: "It is with deep sadness that we say goodbye to Nicola Pietrangeli, a true legend of Italian tennis..."
Nicola Pietrangeli stands as one of only three Italian men to win a major singles title. Italian sport mourns a true legend: Nicola Pietrangeli, a double French Open champion, left us at 92. Pietrangeli etched his name by emerging as the initial Italian to capture a Grand Slam singles title, securing his initial triumph at Roland Garros in 1959 and retaining the prestigious trophy a year later. With an impressive 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was universally regarded as the country's finest player until the emergence of current world number two and four-times major winner Jannik Sinner. "Italian tennis is in mourning for an icon. Nicola Pietrangeli, the sole Italian enrolled in the International Tennis Hall of Fame, has passed away," announced the national federation. In addition to his two French Open victories, Pietrangeli also finished as runner-up in Paris in both 1961 and 1964. He holds a record 164 matches played for Italy in the prestigious team competition, winning 120 of them, and guided his country to its first title in 1976. Officials of the Italian Open, where he was a double winner, said: "It is with deep sadness that we say goodbye to Nicola Pietrangeli, a true legend of Italian tennis..."