Azzurri Tennis Great Nicola Pietrangeli Has Died at 92
Nicola Pietrangeli stands as among a select trio of Italian men to secure a Grand Slam singles title.
The world of tennis says goodbye to a authentic legend: Nicola Pietrangeli, a two-time French Open champion, left us at 92.
The player made history by becoming the pioneering Italian to win a Grand Slam singles title, earning his first triumph at Roland Garros in 1959 and successfully defending the prestigious trophy the following year.
With an impressive 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was universally regarded as the country's most accomplished player prior to the emergence of current star and four-times major winner Jannik Sinner.
"The sport in Italy is mourning an legend. Nicola Pietrangeli, the sole Italian honored in the International Tennis Hall of Fame, has passed away," announced the Italian Tennis Federation.
In addition to his pair of French Open triumphs, Pietrangeli also was the finalist in Paris in both 1961 and 1964.
He boasts a record 164 matches played for Italy in the Davis Cup, winning 120 of them, and led his country to its first 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 veritable legend of Italian tennis..."
