Italian tennis legend Nicola Pietrangeli, who is a two-time French Open champion, has passed away at the age of 92.
The Italian Tennis and Padel Federation announced Pietrangeli’s passing on Monday, December 1, 2025, without providing a cause of death.
The federation noted that Pietrangeli is the only Italian player who was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
Pietrangeli made history in 1959 when he became the first Italian to win a Grand Slam singles title at Roland Garros, a feat he repeated in 1960.
His success on clay and his 48 career titles cemented his status as Italy’s greatest tennis player for decades, until the rise of current world number two and four-time major champion Jannik Sinner.
Pietrangeli also reached the French Open finals in 1961 and 1964.
On the international stage, he represented Italy 164 times in the Davis Cup, winning 120 matches.
He later coached the national team and led Italy to its first-ever Davis Cup triumph in 1976.
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Story by Samuel Annang | univers.ug.edu.gh
Edited by Erica Odeenyin Odoom
