Italian tennis great Nicola Pietrangeli, two-time French Open champion, has died at the age of 92.
Pietrangeli became the first Italian to win a Grand Slam title with his first victory at Roland Garros in 1959 and retained the trophy a year later.
With 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was widely regarded as the country’s best ever player until the emergence of current world number two and four-time major winner Jannik Sinner.
“Italian tennis mourns an icon. Nicola Pietrangeli, the only Italian inducted into the World Tennis Hall of Fame, has died,” the Italian Tennis Federation (FITP) confirmed on Monday.
In addition to his two successes at the French Open, Pietrangeli also finished second in Paris in 1961 and 1964.
He played a record 164 Davis Cup matches for Italy, winning 120 and leading his country to its first title in 1976.
David Haggerty, President of the International Tennis Federation (ITF), said: “Nicola Pietrangeli was the true embodiment of everything the Davis Cup represents: passion, prestige and pride in representing your country.
“In addition to reaching the pinnacle of the game as an individual, Nicola truly understood what it meant to play tennis for something bigger than himself, and his incredible achievements are etched into the 125-year history of the Davis Cup.
“He leaves behind a tremendous and immeasurable tennis legacy, both in Italy and around the world. On behalf of everyone at the ITF, I would like to express my sincere condolences to his family and friends.”
Rafael Nadal, a record 14-time French Open winner, paid tribute to X, describing Pietrangeli as “a great Italian and world tennis player”.
Organizers of the Italian Open, where Pietrangeli was a two-time winner, said: “It is with deep sadness that we say goodbye to Nicola Pietrangeli, a true legend of Italian tennis. Ciao, Nicola.”
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