Azzurri Tennis Legend Nicola Pietrangeli Has Died at 92

The world of tennis says goodbye to a authentic legend: Nicola Pietrangeli, a double French Open champion, has died at 92.

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

With a remarkable 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was long held to be the nation's greatest ever player until the rise of current star and four-time major winner Jannik Sinner.

"The sport in Italy is in mourning for an icon. Nicola Pietrangeli, the sole Italian inducted in the International Tennis Hall of Fame, has passed away," confirmed the Italian Tennis Federation.

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

He set a remarkable 164 matches played for Italy in the Davis Cup, winning 120 of them, and led his country to its inaugural title in 1976.

Organisers of the Italian Open, where he was a double winner, stated: "It is with deep sadness that we bid farewell to Nicola Pietrangeli, a veritable legend of Italian tennis..."