Nicola Pietrangeli, the Italian tennis legend and a two-time winner of the French Open, has died at the age of 92.
The death of Pietrangeli, whose elegant play and charismatic persona captivated a nation, was announced by Italy’s tennis federation on Monday.
“Italian tennis is mourning an icon. Nicola Pietrangeli, the only Italian inducted into the World Tennis Hall of Fame, has died,” said the FITP
Born in Tunis in 1933 to an Italian father and Russian mother, Pietrangeli was widely considered the country’s greatest ever tennis player until the emergence of current world number two Jannik Sinner.
Pietrangeli won 44 other singles titles over his career, including his two triumphs at Roland Garros in 1959 and 1960.
He also lost two finals in Paris to Manuel Santana, in 1961 and 1964, and reached the Wimbledon final in the same year as his second French Open title.
“It is with deep sadness that we say goodbye to Nicola Pietrangeli, a true legend of Italian tennis… Ciao, Nicola,” said the organisers of the Italian Open tournament, which he won twice.
Pietrangeli was also a Davis Cup stalwart, playing 164 matches for Italy and, as captain, leading his country to its first title in 1976.
Pietrangeli’s career spanned an era vastly different from today’s professional circuit, a time when passion often outweighed profit.
This was vividly illustrated during the 1960 French Open final. As he later recounted, he removed his shoes in the locker room during a break, only to find his socks soaked red with blood.
His opponent, Chile’s Luis Ayala, had relentlessly deployed drop shots and lobs, forcing Pietrangeli into a gruelling dance across the clay until the skin on his feet peeled away.
