🔗 Share this article Azzurri Court Icon Nicola Pietrangeli Has Died at Ninety-Two Nicola Pietrangeli stands as among a select trio of Italian men to secure a Grand Slam singles title. The world of tennis mourns a true icon: Nicola Pietrangeli, a double French Open champion, left us at 92. Pietrangeli etched his name by becoming the initial Italian to win a Grand Slam singles title, securing his maiden triumph at the French Open in 1959 and retaining the prestigious trophy the following year. With an impressive 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was universally regarded as the country's finest player prior to the emergence of current star and four-time major winner Jannik Sinner. "Italian tennis is grieving an titan. Nicola Pietrangeli, the only Italian honored in the International Tennis Hall of Fame, has passed away," confirmed the national federation. Beyond his pair of French Open successes, Pietrangeli also was the finalist in Paris in the years 1961 and 1964. He holds a record 164 matches played for Italy in the Davis Cup, winning 120 of them, and spearheaded his country to its maiden title in 1976. Officials of the Italian Open, an event where he was a double winner, said: "We are profoundly saddened that we say goodbye to Nicola Pietrangeli, a veritable legend of Italian tennis..."
Nicola Pietrangeli stands as among a select trio of Italian men to secure a Grand Slam singles title. The world of tennis mourns a true icon: Nicola Pietrangeli, a double French Open champion, left us at 92. Pietrangeli etched his name by becoming the initial Italian to win a Grand Slam singles title, securing his maiden triumph at the French Open in 1959 and retaining the prestigious trophy the following year. With an impressive 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was universally regarded as the country's finest player prior to the emergence of current star and four-time major winner Jannik Sinner. "Italian tennis is grieving an titan. Nicola Pietrangeli, the only Italian honored in the International Tennis Hall of Fame, has passed away," confirmed the national federation. Beyond his pair of French Open successes, Pietrangeli also was the finalist in Paris in the years 1961 and 1964. He holds a record 164 matches played for Italy in the Davis Cup, winning 120 of them, and spearheaded his country to its maiden title in 1976. Officials of the Italian Open, an event where he was a double winner, said: "We are profoundly saddened that we say goodbye to Nicola Pietrangeli, a veritable legend of Italian tennis..."