🔗 Share this article Italian Tennis Icon Nicola Pietrangeli Has Died at 92 The tennis champion is among a select trio of Italian men to win a major singles title. The world of tennis is mourning a genuine legend: Nicola Pietrangeli, a two-time French Open champion, passed away at ninety-two. Pietrangeli etched his name by emerging as the pioneering Italian to secure a Grand Slam singles title, earning his maiden triumph at the French Open in 1959 and successfully defending the prestigious trophy in 1960. With a remarkable 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was widely considered the country's most accomplished player prior to the advent of current star and four-time major winner Jannik Sinner. "The sport in Italy is in mourning for an titan. Nicola Pietrangeli, the sole Italian honored in the World Tennis Hall of Fame, has died," announced the national federation. Beyond his pair of French Open triumphs, Pietrangeli also reached the final in Paris in the years 1961 and 1964. He set a record 164 matches played for Italy in the prestigious team competition, securing victories in 120 of them, and guided his country to its inaugural title in 1976. Organisers of the Italian Open, where he was a double winner, stated: "It is with deep sadness that we bid farewell to Nicola Pietrangeli, a true legend of Italian tennis..."
The tennis champion is among a select trio of Italian men to win a major singles title. The world of tennis is mourning a genuine legend: Nicola Pietrangeli, a two-time French Open champion, passed away at ninety-two. Pietrangeli etched his name by emerging as the pioneering Italian to secure a Grand Slam singles title, earning his maiden triumph at the French Open in 1959 and successfully defending the prestigious trophy in 1960. With a remarkable 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was widely considered the country's most accomplished player prior to the advent of current star and four-time major winner Jannik Sinner. "The sport in Italy is in mourning for an titan. Nicola Pietrangeli, the sole Italian honored in the World Tennis Hall of Fame, has died," announced the national federation. Beyond his pair of French Open triumphs, Pietrangeli also reached the final in Paris in the years 1961 and 1964. He set a record 164 matches played for Italy in the prestigious team competition, securing victories in 120 of them, and guided his country to its inaugural title in 1976. Organisers of the Italian Open, where he was a double winner, stated: "It is with deep sadness that we bid farewell to Nicola Pietrangeli, a true legend of Italian tennis..."