🔗 Share this article Italy's Court Great Nicola Pietrangeli Has Died at the Age of 92 Nicola Pietrangeli remains one of only three Italian men to claim a Grand Slam singles title. Italian sport is mourning a genuine pioneer: Nicola Pietrangeli, a two-time French Open champion, passed away at ninety-two. He carved his legacy by becoming the first Italian to secure a Grand Slam singles title, achieving his initial triumph at the French Open in 1959 and retaining the prestigious trophy a year later. With an impressive 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was widely considered the nation's finest player until the emergence 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 honored in the World Tennis Hall of Fame, has died," confirmed the national federation. Beyond his pair of French Open victories, Pietrangeli also finished as runner-up in Paris in the years 1961 and 1964. He holds a remarkable 164 matches played for Italy in the Davis Cup, securing victories in 120 of them, and spearheaded his country to its first title in 1976. Officials of the Italian Open, an event where he was a two-time winner, said: "It is with deep sadness that we say goodbye to Nicola Pietrangeli, a true legend of Italian tennis..."
Nicola Pietrangeli remains one of only three Italian men to claim a Grand Slam singles title. Italian sport is mourning a genuine pioneer: Nicola Pietrangeli, a two-time French Open champion, passed away at ninety-two. He carved his legacy by becoming the first Italian to secure a Grand Slam singles title, achieving his initial triumph at the French Open in 1959 and retaining the prestigious trophy a year later. With an impressive 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was widely considered the nation's finest player until the emergence 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 honored in the World Tennis Hall of Fame, has died," confirmed the national federation. Beyond his pair of French Open victories, Pietrangeli also finished as runner-up in Paris in the years 1961 and 1964. He holds a remarkable 164 matches played for Italy in the Davis Cup, securing victories in 120 of them, and spearheaded his country to its first title in 1976. Officials of the Italian Open, an event where he was a two-time winner, said: "It is with deep sadness that we say goodbye to Nicola Pietrangeli, a true legend of Italian tennis..."