Italian tennis nice Nicola Pietrangeli, a two-time French Open champion, has died on the age of 92.
Pietrangeli grew to become the primary Italian to win a Grand Slam singles title along with his first triumph at Roland Garros in 1959 and retained the trophy a yr later.
With 48 profession titles, Pietrangeli was extensively thought-about the nation’s biggest ever participant till the emergence of present world quantity two and four-time main winner Jannik Sinner.
“Italian tennis is mourning an icon. Nicola Pietrangeli, the one Italian inducted into the World Tennis Corridor of Fame, has died,” the Italian Tennis Federation (FITP) confirmed on Monday.
Along with his two French Open successes, Pietrangeli additionally completed runner-up in Paris in 1961 and 1964.
He performed a document 164 matches on the Davis Cup for Italy, profitable 120, and led his nation to its first title in 1976.
David Haggerty, president of the Worldwide Tennis Federation (ITF), mentioned: “Nicola Pietrangeli was the true embodiment of all the things the Davis Cup represents – ardour, status and delight in representing your nation.
“In addition to reaching the highest of the sport as a person, Nicola really understood what it meant to play tennis for one thing greater than himself, and his unbelievable achievements are carved into the 125-year historical past of the Davis Cup.
“He leaves an enormous and immeasurable tennis legacy each in Italy and internationally. On behalf of everybody on the ITF, I want to prolong my honest condolences to his household and associates.”
Rafael Nadal, a document 14-time French Open winner, paid tribute on X, describing Pietrangeli as “an excellent of Italian and world tennis”.
Organisers of the Italian Open, the place Pietrangeli was a two-time winner, mentioned: “It’s with deep unhappiness that we are saying goodbye to Nicola Pietrangeli, a real legend of Italian tennis. Ciao, Nicola.”
