Italian Tennis Great Nicola Pietrangeli Passes Away at 92
The tennis champion remains among a select trio of Italian men to win a Grand Slam singles title.
The world of tennis is mourning a authentic pioneer: Nicola Pietrangeli, a two-time French Open champion, left us at 92.
The player made history by becoming the first Italian to win a Grand Slam singles title, earning 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 long held to be the nation's greatest ever player prior to the emergence of current star and four-time major winner Jannik Sinner.
"The sport in Italy is grieving an titan. Nicola Pietrangeli, the only Italian honored in the International Tennis Hall of Fame, has died," confirmed the national federation.
Beyond his two French Open successes, Pietrangeli also was the finalist in Paris in the years 1961 and 1964.
He set a remarkable 164 matches played for Italy in the prestigious team competition, winning 120 of them, and spearheaded his country to its inaugural title in 1976.
Officials of the Italian Open, an event where he was a two-time winner, said: "We are profoundly saddened that we bid farewell to Nicola Pietrangeli, a true legend of Italian tennis..."
