Azzurri Tennis Legend Nicola Pietrangeli Has Died at Ninety-Two

The world of tennis says goodbye to a authentic legend: Nicola Pietrangeli, a two-time French Open champion, passed away at the age of 92.

Pietrangeli etched his name by emerging as the initial Italian to capture a Grand Slam singles title, achieving his first triumph at the French Open in 1959 and successfully defending the coveted trophy in 1960.

With an impressive 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was long held to be the nation's finest player prior to the advent of current world number two and four-time major winner Jannik Sinner.

"The sport in Italy is in mourning for an titan. Nicola Pietrangeli, the only Italian inducted in the World Tennis Hall of Fame, has passed away," confirmed the national federation.

In addition to his two French Open triumphs, Pietrangeli also finished as runner-up in Paris in the years 1961 and 1964.

He boasts a remarkable 164 matches played for Italy in the prestigious team competition, winning 120 of them, and guided his country to its first title in 1976.

Organisers of the Italian Open, where he was a double winner, said: "We are profoundly saddened that we bid farewell to Nicola Pietrangeli, a veritable legend of Italian tennis..."