Italian tennis legend and two-time French Open champion, Nicola Pietrangeli, has died at the age of 92, the country’s tennis federation announced on Monday.
The Italian Tennis and Padel Federation, FITP, confirmed his passing in a statement saying, “Italian tennis is mourning an icon. Nicola Pietrangeli, the only Italian inducted into the World Tennis Hall of Fame, has died.”
Born in Tunis in 1933 to an Italian father and Russian mother, Pietrangeli was long regarded as Italy’s greatest tennis player, a status many believe he held until the rise of current world number two, Jannik Sinner.
Pietrangeli won 44 career singles titles, with his most famous triumphs coming at Roland Garros in 1959 and 1960.
He also reached the French Open final twice more, losing to Spain’s Manuel Santana in 1961 and 1964, and made the Wimbledon final in the same year as his second Paris victory.
Organisers of the Italian Open, which he won twice, expressed their grief in an emotional tribute. The message reads: “It is with deep sadness that we say goodbye to Nicola Pietrangeli, a true legend of Italian tennis… Ciao, Nicola.”
9news Nigeria reports that, beyond his Grand Slam achievements, Pietrangeli was a dominant force in the Davis Cup, playing 164 matches for Italy.
He later captained the national team to its first-ever Davis Cup title in 1976, cementing his reputation as a foundational figure in the country’s tennis history.
