Azzurri Tennis Legend Nicola Pietrangeli Dies at 92

Italian sport mourns a genuine icon: Nicola Pietrangeli, a double French Open champion, has died at 92.

The player made history by emerging as the initial Italian to win a Grand Slam singles title, earning his first triumph at Roland Garros in 1959 and retaining the prestigious trophy in 1960.

With an impressive 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was long held to be the nation's greatest ever player prior to the advent of current star and four-times major winner Jannik Sinner.

"Italian tennis is grieving an legend. Nicola Pietrangeli, the only Italian enrolled in the World Tennis Hall of Fame, has died," confirmed the national federation.

Beyond his two French Open triumphs, Pietrangeli also was the finalist in Paris in the years 1961 and 1964.

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

Organisers of the Italian Open, an event where he was a two-time winner, commented: "It is with deep sadness that we say goodbye to Nicola Pietrangeli, a true legend of Italian tennis..."