🔗 Share this article Italian Court Great Nicola Pietrangeli Has Died at Ninety-Two The tennis champion remains among a select trio of Italian men to claim a major singles title. The world of tennis is mourning a true icon: Nicola Pietrangeli, a double French Open champion, has died at ninety-two. He carved his legacy by becoming the first Italian to win a Grand Slam singles title, achieving his maiden triumph at Roland Garros in 1959 and successfully defending the prestigious trophy in 1960. With an impressive 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was widely considered the country's finest player until the rise of current world number two and four-times major winner Jannik Sinner. "The sport in Italy is in mourning for an icon. Nicola Pietrangeli, the only Italian enrolled in the International Tennis Hall of Fame, has died," announced the Italian Tennis Federation. Alongside his pair of French Open triumphs, Pietrangeli also finished as runner-up in Paris in the years 1961 and 1964. He boasts a remarkable 164 matches played for Italy in the prestigious team competition, winning 120 of them, and led his country to its maiden title in 1976. Officials of the Italian Open, an event 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..."
The tennis champion remains among a select trio of Italian men to claim a major singles title. The world of tennis is mourning a true icon: Nicola Pietrangeli, a double French Open champion, has died at ninety-two. He carved his legacy by becoming the first Italian to win a Grand Slam singles title, achieving his maiden triumph at Roland Garros in 1959 and successfully defending the prestigious trophy in 1960. With an impressive 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was widely considered the country's finest player until the rise of current world number two and four-times major winner Jannik Sinner. "The sport in Italy is in mourning for an icon. Nicola Pietrangeli, the only Italian enrolled in the International Tennis Hall of Fame, has died," announced the Italian Tennis Federation. Alongside his pair of French Open triumphs, Pietrangeli also finished as runner-up in Paris in the years 1961 and 1964. He boasts a remarkable 164 matches played for Italy in the prestigious team competition, winning 120 of them, and led his country to its maiden title in 1976. Officials of the Italian Open, an event 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..."