đź”— Share this article Azzurri Court Great Nicola Pietrangeli Has Died at 92 Nicola Pietrangeli remains one of only three Italian men to claim a major singles title. The world of tennis says goodbye to a genuine legend: Nicola Pietrangeli, a double French Open champion, left us at the age of 92. The player made history by becoming the initial Italian to capture a Grand Slam singles title, securing his maiden triumph at the French Open in 1959 and retaining the coveted trophy in 1960. With a remarkable 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was universally regarded as the nation's greatest ever player prior to the advent of current world number two and four-times major winner Jannik Sinner. "Italian tennis is in mourning for an legend. Nicola Pietrangeli, the only Italian inducted in the International Tennis Hall of Fame, has died," stated the Italian Tennis Federation. Alongside his two French Open successes, Pietrangeli also finished as runner-up in Paris in the years 1961 and 1964. He set a remarkable 164 matches played for Italy in the Davis Cup, securing victories in 120 of them, and guided his country to its maiden title in 1976. Officials of the Italian Open, an event where he was a double winner, commented: "It is with deep sadness that we bid farewell to Nicola Pietrangeli, a veritable legend of Italian tennis..."
Nicola Pietrangeli remains one of only three Italian men to claim a major singles title. The world of tennis says goodbye to a genuine legend: Nicola Pietrangeli, a double French Open champion, left us at the age of 92. The player made history by becoming the initial Italian to capture a Grand Slam singles title, securing his maiden triumph at the French Open in 1959 and retaining the coveted trophy in 1960. With a remarkable 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was universally regarded as the nation's greatest ever player prior to the advent of current world number two and four-times major winner Jannik Sinner. "Italian tennis is in mourning for an legend. Nicola Pietrangeli, the only Italian inducted in the International Tennis Hall of Fame, has died," stated the Italian Tennis Federation. Alongside his two French Open successes, Pietrangeli also finished as runner-up in Paris in the years 1961 and 1964. He set a remarkable 164 matches played for Italy in the Davis Cup, securing victories in 120 of them, and guided his country to its maiden title in 1976. Officials of the Italian Open, an event where he was a double winner, commented: "It is with deep sadness that we bid farewell to Nicola Pietrangeli, a veritable legend of Italian tennis..."