🔗 Share this article Italian Court Legend Nicola Pietrangeli Passes Away at the Age of 92 Nicola Pietrangeli stands as among a select trio of Italian men to claim a Grand Slam singles title. Italian sport mourns a true icon: Nicola Pietrangeli, a two-time French Open champion, passed away at 92. The player made history by becoming the initial Italian to secure a Grand Slam singles title, achieving his maiden triumph at Roland Garros in 1959 and successfully defending the coveted trophy a year later. With a remarkable 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was long held to be the country's finest player prior to the rise of current star and four-times major winner Jannik Sinner. "The sport in Italy is grieving an legend. Nicola Pietrangeli, the only Italian honored in the World Tennis Hall of Fame, has died," announced the Italian Tennis Federation. Beyond his two French Open successes, Pietrangeli also was the finalist in Paris in both 1961 and 1964. He boasts a record 164 matches played for Italy in the Davis Cup, securing victories in 120 of them, and guided his country to its first title in 1976. Organisers of the Italian Open, where he was a double winner, commented: "We are profoundly saddened that we say goodbye to Nicola Pietrangeli, a true legend of Italian tennis..."
Nicola Pietrangeli stands as among a select trio of Italian men to claim a Grand Slam singles title. Italian sport mourns a true icon: Nicola Pietrangeli, a two-time French Open champion, passed away at 92. The player made history by becoming the initial Italian to secure a Grand Slam singles title, achieving his maiden triumph at Roland Garros in 1959 and successfully defending the coveted trophy a year later. With a remarkable 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was long held to be the country's finest player prior to the rise of current star and four-times major winner Jannik Sinner. "The sport in Italy is grieving an legend. Nicola Pietrangeli, the only Italian honored in the World Tennis Hall of Fame, has died," announced the Italian Tennis Federation. Beyond his two French Open successes, Pietrangeli also was the finalist in Paris in both 1961 and 1964. He boasts a record 164 matches played for Italy in the Davis Cup, securing victories in 120 of them, and guided his country to its first title in 1976. Organisers of the Italian Open, where he was a double winner, commented: "We are profoundly saddened that we say goodbye to Nicola Pietrangeli, a true legend of Italian tennis..."