🔗 Share this article Azzurri Tennis Legend Nicola Pietrangeli Dies at the Age of 92 Nicola Pietrangeli remains one of only three Italian men to win a Grand Slam singles title. The world of tennis mourns a true pioneer: Nicola Pietrangeli, a two-time French Open champion, left us at the age of 92. He carved his legacy by becoming the first Italian to win a Grand Slam singles title, earning his maiden triumph at Roland Garros in 1959 and successfully defending the coveted trophy in 1960. With a remarkable 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was long held to be the country's greatest ever player prior to the advent of current star and four-time major winner Jannik Sinner. "The sport in Italy is mourning an legend. Nicola Pietrangeli, the sole Italian enrolled in the International Tennis Hall of Fame, has passed away," announced the national federation. In addition to his two French Open successes, Pietrangeli also reached the final in Paris in the years 1961 and 1964. He boasts a remarkable 164 matches played for Italy in the prestigious team competition, winning 120 of them, and spearheaded his country to its inaugural title in 1976. Organisers of the Italian Open, where he was a double winner, commented: "We are profoundly saddened that we bid farewell to Nicola Pietrangeli, a true legend of Italian tennis..."
Nicola Pietrangeli remains one of only three Italian men to win a Grand Slam singles title. The world of tennis mourns a true pioneer: Nicola Pietrangeli, a two-time French Open champion, left us at the age of 92. He carved his legacy by becoming the first Italian to win a Grand Slam singles title, earning his maiden triumph at Roland Garros in 1959 and successfully defending the coveted trophy in 1960. With a remarkable 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was long held to be the country's greatest ever player prior to the advent of current star and four-time major winner Jannik Sinner. "The sport in Italy is mourning an legend. Nicola Pietrangeli, the sole Italian enrolled in the International Tennis Hall of Fame, has passed away," announced the national federation. In addition to his two French Open successes, Pietrangeli also reached the final in Paris in the years 1961 and 1964. He boasts a remarkable 164 matches played for Italy in the prestigious team competition, winning 120 of them, and spearheaded his country to its inaugural title in 1976. Organisers of the Italian Open, where he was a double winner, commented: "We are profoundly saddened that we bid farewell to Nicola Pietrangeli, a true legend of Italian tennis..."