🔗 Share this article Italy's Tennis Icon Nicola Pietrangeli Passes Away at Ninety-Two Nicola Pietrangeli stands as one of only three Italian men to claim a Grand Slam singles title. Italian sport says goodbye to a genuine legend: Nicola Pietrangeli, a two-time French Open champion, passed away at 92. He carved his legacy by emerging as the pioneering Italian to win a Grand Slam singles title, earning his first triumph at the French Open in 1959 and successfully defending the coveted trophy in 1960. With a staggering 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was widely considered the country's most accomplished player prior to the advent of current world number two and four-times major winner Jannik Sinner. "The sport in Italy is grieving an legend. Nicola Pietrangeli, the only Italian honored in the International Tennis Hall of Fame, has died," confirmed the Italian Tennis Federation. In addition to his pair of French Open successes, Pietrangeli also was the finalist in Paris in both 1961 and 1964. He set a remarkable 164 matches played for Italy in the Davis Cup, winning 120 of them, and spearheaded his country to its inaugural title in 1976. Officials of the Italian Open, where he was a double winner, said: "It is with deep sadness that we say goodbye to Nicola Pietrangeli, a true legend of Italian tennis..."
Nicola Pietrangeli stands as one of only three Italian men to claim a Grand Slam singles title. Italian sport says goodbye to a genuine legend: Nicola Pietrangeli, a two-time French Open champion, passed away at 92. He carved his legacy by emerging as the pioneering Italian to win a Grand Slam singles title, earning his first triumph at the French Open in 1959 and successfully defending the coveted trophy in 1960. With a staggering 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was widely considered the country's most accomplished player prior to the advent of current world number two and four-times major winner Jannik Sinner. "The sport in Italy is grieving an legend. Nicola Pietrangeli, the only Italian honored in the International Tennis Hall of Fame, has died," confirmed the Italian Tennis Federation. In addition to his pair of French Open successes, Pietrangeli also was the finalist in Paris in both 1961 and 1964. He set a remarkable 164 matches played for Italy in the Davis Cup, winning 120 of them, and spearheaded his country to its inaugural title in 1976. Officials of the Italian Open, where he was a double winner, said: "It is with deep sadness that we say goodbye to Nicola Pietrangeli, a true legend of Italian tennis..."