đŸ”— Share this article Italy's Tennis Great Nicola Pietrangeli Passes Away at Ninety-Two The tennis champion stands as among a select trio of Italian men to secure a major singles title. The world of tennis says goodbye to a authentic icon: Nicola Pietrangeli, a two-time French Open champion, left us at 92. The player made history by emerging as the pioneering Italian to capture a Grand Slam singles title, securing his maiden triumph at Roland Garros in 1959 and successfully defending the prestigious trophy in 1960. With a remarkable 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was long held to be the country's finest player prior to the emergence of current world number two and four-time major winner Jannik Sinner. "The sport in Italy is grieving an legend. Nicola Pietrangeli, the sole Italian enrolled in the International Tennis Hall of Fame, has died," announced the national federation. Beyond his two French Open successes, Pietrangeli also reached the final in Paris in both 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 inaugural title in 1976. Officials of the Italian Open, where he was a two-time winner, said: "It is with deep sadness that we say goodbye to Nicola Pietrangeli, a true legend of Italian tennis..."
The tennis champion stands as among a select trio of Italian men to secure a major singles title. The world of tennis says goodbye to a authentic icon: Nicola Pietrangeli, a two-time French Open champion, left us at 92. The player made history by emerging as the pioneering Italian to capture a Grand Slam singles title, securing his maiden triumph at Roland Garros in 1959 and successfully defending the prestigious trophy in 1960. With a remarkable 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was long held to be the country's finest player prior to the emergence of current world number two and four-time major winner Jannik Sinner. "The sport in Italy is grieving an legend. Nicola Pietrangeli, the sole Italian enrolled in the International Tennis Hall of Fame, has died," announced the national federation. Beyond his two French Open successes, Pietrangeli also reached the final in Paris in both 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 inaugural title in 1976. Officials of the Italian Open, where he was a two-time winner, said: "It is with deep sadness that we say goodbye to Nicola Pietrangeli, a true legend of Italian tennis..."