🔗 Share this article Azzurri Tennis Legend Nicola Pietrangeli Passes Away at 92 The tennis champion is one of only three Italian men to secure a Grand Slam singles title. The world of tennis mourns a true legend: Nicola Pietrangeli, a double French Open champion, left us at ninety-two. He carved his legacy by emerging as the first Italian to secure a Grand Slam singles title, securing his initial triumph at the French Open in 1959 and successfully defending the prestigious trophy a year later. With an impressive 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was long held to be the nation's greatest ever player prior to the advent of current world number two and four-times major winner Jannik Sinner. "Italian tennis is in mourning for an legend. Nicola Pietrangeli, the only Italian enrolled in the World Tennis Hall of Fame, has died," stated the Italian Tennis Federation. Alongside his two French Open victories, Pietrangeli also was the finalist in Paris in the years 1961 and 1964. He set a remarkable 164 matches played for Italy in the prestigious team competition, securing victories in 120 of them, and spearheaded his country to its first title in 1976. Officials of the Italian Open, where he was a double winner, said: "We are profoundly saddened that we say goodbye to Nicola Pietrangeli, a true legend of Italian tennis..."
The tennis champion is one of only three Italian men to secure a Grand Slam singles title. The world of tennis mourns a true legend: Nicola Pietrangeli, a double French Open champion, left us at ninety-two. He carved his legacy by emerging as the first Italian to secure a Grand Slam singles title, securing his initial triumph at the French Open in 1959 and successfully defending the prestigious trophy a year later. With an impressive 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was long held to be the nation's greatest ever player prior to the advent of current world number two and four-times major winner Jannik Sinner. "Italian tennis is in mourning for an legend. Nicola Pietrangeli, the only Italian enrolled in the World Tennis Hall of Fame, has died," stated the Italian Tennis Federation. Alongside his two French Open victories, Pietrangeli also was the finalist in Paris in the years 1961 and 1964. He set a remarkable 164 matches played for Italy in the prestigious team competition, securing victories in 120 of them, and spearheaded his country to its first title in 1976. Officials of the Italian Open, where he was a double winner, said: "We are profoundly saddened that we say goodbye to Nicola Pietrangeli, a true legend of Italian tennis..."