Italy's Court Great Nicola Pietrangeli Dies at 92
The tennis champion stands as 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, left us at 92.
He carved his legacy by emerging as the pioneering Italian to secure a Grand Slam singles title, securing his first triumph at the French Open in 1959 and retaining the coveted trophy the following year.
With a remarkable 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was widely considered the nation's most accomplished 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 icon. Nicola Pietrangeli, the only Italian honored in the World Tennis Hall of Fame, has died," announced the Italian Tennis Federation.
In addition to his pair of French Open victories, Pietrangeli also finished as runner-up in Paris in both 1961 and 1964.
He holds a remarkable 164 matches played for Italy in the prestigious team competition, securing victories in 120 of them, and led his country to its first title in 1976.
Organisers of the Italian Open, an event where he was a double winner, said: "We are profoundly saddened that we say goodbye to Nicola Pietrangeli, a veritable legend of Italian tennis..."
