🔗 Share this article Italian Court Icon Nicola Pietrangeli Has Died at Ninety-Two The tennis champion remains one of only three Italian men to claim a major singles title. The world of tennis mourns a genuine icon: Nicola Pietrangeli, a double French Open champion, has died at ninety-two. Pietrangeli etched his name by becoming the initial Italian to secure a Grand Slam singles title, achieving his maiden triumph at Roland Garros in 1959 and retaining the prestigious trophy in 1960. With a remarkable 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was long held to be the country's greatest ever player until the advent of current world number two and four-time major winner Jannik Sinner. "Italian tennis is mourning an legend. Nicola Pietrangeli, the sole Italian inducted in the International Tennis Hall of Fame, has died," stated the national federation. Beyond his two French Open triumphs, Pietrangeli also finished as runner-up in Paris in both 1961 and 1964. He boasts a record 164 matches played for Italy in the prestigious team competition, securing victories in 120 of them, and led his country to its first title in 1976. Organisers of the Italian Open, where he was a two-time winner, said: "We are profoundly saddened that we say goodbye to Nicola Pietrangeli, a veritable legend of Italian tennis..."
The tennis champion remains one of only three Italian men to claim a major singles title. The world of tennis mourns a genuine icon: Nicola Pietrangeli, a double French Open champion, has died at ninety-two. Pietrangeli etched his name by becoming the initial Italian to secure a Grand Slam singles title, achieving his maiden triumph at Roland Garros in 1959 and retaining the prestigious trophy in 1960. With a remarkable 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was long held to be the country's greatest ever player until the advent of current world number two and four-time major winner Jannik Sinner. "Italian tennis is mourning an legend. Nicola Pietrangeli, the sole Italian inducted in the International Tennis Hall of Fame, has died," stated the national federation. Beyond his two French Open triumphs, Pietrangeli also finished as runner-up in Paris in both 1961 and 1964. He boasts a record 164 matches played for Italy in the prestigious team competition, securing victories in 120 of them, and led his country to its first title in 1976. Organisers of the Italian Open, where he was a two-time winner, said: "We are profoundly saddened that we say goodbye to Nicola Pietrangeli, a veritable legend of Italian tennis..."