🔗 Share this article Italian Tennis Great Nicola Pietrangeli Dies at the Age of 92 The tennis champion stands as one of only three Italian men to win a Grand Slam singles title. The world of tennis says goodbye to a authentic legend: Nicola Pietrangeli, a double French Open champion, passed away at the age of 92. Pietrangeli etched his name by emerging as the first Italian to win a Grand Slam singles title, securing his initial triumph at Roland Garros in 1959 and successfully defending the prestigious trophy in 1960. With a remarkable 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was long held to be the nation's most accomplished player until the emergence of current star and four-time major winner Jannik Sinner. "The sport in Italy is mourning an titan. Nicola Pietrangeli, the sole Italian enrolled in the World Tennis Hall of Fame, has died," confirmed the Italian Tennis Federation. Beyond his two French Open victories, Pietrangeli also was the finalist in Paris in both 1961 and 1964. He boasts a remarkable 164 matches played for Italy in the Davis Cup, securing victories in 120 of them, and spearheaded his country to its inaugural title in 1976. Organisers of the Italian Open, where he was a double winner, said: "It is with deep sadness that we bid farewell to Nicola Pietrangeli, a veritable legend of Italian tennis..."
The tennis champion stands as one of only three Italian men to win a Grand Slam singles title. The world of tennis says goodbye to a authentic legend: Nicola Pietrangeli, a double French Open champion, passed away at the age of 92. Pietrangeli etched his name by emerging as the first Italian to win a Grand Slam singles title, securing his initial triumph at Roland Garros in 1959 and successfully defending the prestigious trophy in 1960. With a remarkable 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was long held to be the nation's most accomplished player until the emergence of current star and four-time major winner Jannik Sinner. "The sport in Italy is mourning an titan. Nicola Pietrangeli, the sole Italian enrolled in the World Tennis Hall of Fame, has died," confirmed the Italian Tennis Federation. Beyond his two French Open victories, Pietrangeli also was the finalist in Paris in both 1961 and 1964. He boasts a remarkable 164 matches played for Italy in the Davis Cup, securing victories in 120 of them, and spearheaded his country to its inaugural title in 1976. Organisers of the Italian Open, where he was a double winner, said: "It is with deep sadness that we bid farewell to Nicola Pietrangeli, a veritable legend of Italian tennis..."