Italy's Tennis Great Nicola Pietrangeli Passes Away at Ninety-Two
The tennis champion is one of only three Italian men to claim a major singles title.
The world of tennis is mourning a genuine pioneer: Nicola Pietrangeli, a double French Open champion, passed away at ninety-two.
The player made history by becoming the initial Italian to secure a Grand Slam singles title, earning his initial triumph at the French Open in 1959 and retaining the prestigious trophy the following year.
With a staggering 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was widely considered the nation's finest player until the emergence of current star and four-time major winner Jannik Sinner.
"The sport in Italy is in mourning for an legend. Nicola Pietrangeli, the sole Italian honored in the International Tennis Hall of Fame, has died," announced the national federation.
In addition to his two French Open successes, Pietrangeli also reached the final 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 first title in 1976.
Organisers of the Italian Open, where he was a two-time winner, commented: "It is with deep sadness that we say goodbye to Nicola Pietrangeli, a true legend of Italian tennis..."
