đź”— Share this article Italy's Tennis Legend Nicola Pietrangeli Dies at Ninety-Two The tennis champion is one of only three Italian men to secure a Grand Slam singles title. Italian sport is mourning a authentic icon: Nicola Pietrangeli, a two-time French Open champion, passed away at ninety-two. He carved his legacy by becoming the first Italian to win a Grand Slam singles title, achieving his first triumph at the French Open in 1959 and retaining the coveted trophy a year later. With an impressive 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was universally regarded as the nation's finest 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 passed away," confirmed the Italian Tennis Federation. Alongside his pair of French Open successes, Pietrangeli also was the finalist in Paris in both 1961 and 1964. He set a remarkable 164 matches played for Italy in the prestigious team competition, winning 120 of them, and spearheaded his country to its maiden title in 1976. Officials of the Italian Open, an event 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 is one of only three Italian men to secure a Grand Slam singles title. Italian sport is mourning a authentic icon: Nicola Pietrangeli, a two-time French Open champion, passed away at ninety-two. He carved his legacy by becoming the first Italian to win a Grand Slam singles title, achieving his first triumph at the French Open in 1959 and retaining the coveted trophy a year later. With an impressive 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was universally regarded as the nation's finest 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 passed away," confirmed the Italian Tennis Federation. Alongside his pair of French Open successes, Pietrangeli also was the finalist in Paris in both 1961 and 1964. He set a remarkable 164 matches played for Italy in the prestigious team competition, winning 120 of them, and spearheaded his country to its maiden title in 1976. Officials of the Italian Open, an event 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..."