🔗 Share this article Italy's Court Icon Nicola Pietrangeli Has Died at Ninety-Two Nicola Pietrangeli remains one of only three Italian men to secure a major singles title. Italian sport says goodbye to a authentic icon: Nicola Pietrangeli, a two-time French Open champion, has died at ninety-two. Pietrangeli etched his name by becoming the pioneering Italian to secure a Grand Slam singles title, achieving his maiden triumph at the French Open in 1959 and successfully defending the coveted trophy in 1960. With a staggering 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was long held to be the nation's greatest ever player until the emergence of current world number two and four-time major winner Jannik Sinner. "The sport in Italy is grieving an titan. Nicola Pietrangeli, the sole Italian honored in the World Tennis Hall of Fame, has passed away," confirmed the national federation. Alongside his two French Open triumphs, Pietrangeli also was the finalist in Paris in both 1961 and 1964. He set a record 164 matches played for Italy in the prestigious team competition, securing victories in 120 of them, and guided his country to its inaugural title in 1976. Organisers of the Italian Open, an event where he was a double winner, stated: "It is with deep sadness that we say goodbye to Nicola Pietrangeli, a veritable legend of Italian tennis..."
Nicola Pietrangeli remains one of only three Italian men to secure a major singles title. Italian sport says goodbye to a authentic icon: Nicola Pietrangeli, a two-time French Open champion, has died at ninety-two. Pietrangeli etched his name by becoming the pioneering Italian to secure a Grand Slam singles title, achieving his maiden triumph at the French Open in 1959 and successfully defending the coveted trophy in 1960. With a staggering 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was long held to be the nation's greatest ever player until the emergence of current world number two and four-time major winner Jannik Sinner. "The sport in Italy is grieving an titan. Nicola Pietrangeli, the sole Italian honored in the World Tennis Hall of Fame, has passed away," confirmed the national federation. Alongside his two French Open triumphs, Pietrangeli also was the finalist in Paris in both 1961 and 1964. He set a record 164 matches played for Italy in the prestigious team competition, securing victories in 120 of them, and guided his country to its inaugural title in 1976. Organisers of the Italian Open, an event where he was a double winner, stated: "It is with deep sadness that we say goodbye to Nicola Pietrangeli, a veritable legend of Italian tennis..."