Italian Court Great Nicola Pietrangeli Passes Away at the Age of 92
Nicola Pietrangeli stands as among a select trio of Italian men to claim a Grand Slam singles title.
Italian sport is mourning a genuine legend: Nicola Pietrangeli, a double French Open champion, passed away at the age of 92.
The player made history by becoming the initial Italian to win a Grand Slam singles title, achieving his maiden triumph at the French Open in 1959 and successfully defending the coveted trophy a year later.
With an impressive 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was long held to be the nation's most accomplished player until the advent of current star and four-times major winner Jannik Sinner.
"The sport in Italy is in mourning for an icon. Nicola Pietrangeli, the sole Italian inducted in the World Tennis Hall of Fame, has passed away," 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 holds a record 164 matches played for Italy in the Davis Cup, winning 120 of them, and guided his country to its inaugural title in 1976.
Officials of the Italian Open, where he was a two-time winner, stated: "It is with deep sadness that we say goodbye to Nicola Pietrangeli, a true legend of Italian tennis..."
