Italian tennis has lost one of its most celebrated pioneers as Nicola Pietrangeli, a two-time French Open champion and long-standing national icon, passed away at the age of 92.
His death was confirmed on Monday by the Italian Tennis and Padel Federation (FITP).
Pietrangeli, born in Tunis in 1933 to an Italian father and Russian mother, rose to prominence in the 1950s and 60s, establishing himself as one of Europe’s finest clay-court players.
For decades, he was widely regarded as Italy’s greatest-ever tennis figure, a status later challenged only by the rise of modern star Jannik Sinner.
The former world-class athlete etched his name into tennis history with back-to-back victories at Roland Garros in 1959 and 1960.
He also reached two additional French Open finals, finishing as runner-up to Spain’s Manuel Santana in 1961 and 1964.
Pietrangeli enjoyed success beyond Paris as well, reaching the Wimbledon semifinals and lifting 44 singles titles throughout his illustrious career.
The organisers of the Italian Open—an event he famously won twice—paid tribute on Monday, describing him as “a true legend of Italian tennis” and bidding him farewell with a heartfelt “Ciao, Nicola.”
Pietrangeli’s contributions extended well beyond his playing days.
He appeared in a record 164 Davis Cup matches for Italy and later captained the national team to its first-ever Davis Cup triumph in 1976, solidifying his status as a cornerstone of the sport in the country.
His death marks the end of an era for Italian tennis, and tributes continue to pour in from across the sporting world.
