Italian tennis great Nicola Pietrangeli, a two-time French Open champion, has died at the age of 92.
Pietrangeli became the first Italian to win a Grand Slam singles title with his first triumph at Roland Garros in 1959 and retained the trophy a year later.
With 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was widely considered the country’s greatest ever player until the emergence of current world number two and four-time major winner Jannik Sinner.
“Italian tennis is mourning 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 French Open successes, Pietrangeli also finished runner-up in Paris in 1961 and 1964.
He played a record 164 matches at the Davis Cup for Italy, winning 120, and led 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 nation.
“As well as reaching the top 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 carved into the 125-year history of the Davis Cup.
“He leaves a vast and immeasurable tennis legacy both in Italy and across the world. On behalf of everyone at the ITF, I would like to extend my sincere condolences to his family and friends.”
Rafael Nadal, a record 14-time French Open winner, paid tribute on X, describing Pietrangeli as “a great of Italian and world tennis”.
Organisers 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.”