Italian tennis legend aged 92 passes away, with stars like Nadal mourning deeply

Before Sinner, Nicola Pietrangeli stood as the emblem of Italian tennis — famous for his elegant play and refined baseline strokes. He passed away at 92 on December 1st, and the tennis community honored this legend. His legacy is cherished not only for his two French Open titles and guiding Italy to the 1976 Davis Cup win but also for motivating countless Italian players. Now, Nadal has also paid a heartfelt tribute to this giant who inspired so many.

Nadal was among the first stars to express his condolences. He shared a message along with a special photo with Pietrangeli. On the left side of the picture, Nadal wears a light green jacket, holding the French Open trophy with a bright smile; on the right, Pietrangeli shakes Nadal’s hand and points to the trophy, wearing a warm smile — a smile now preserved only in memory.

Nadal wrote a tribute in Italian: “Just learned the sad news about this great figure of Italian and world tennis. My deepest condolences to his family, his son Filippo, and the entire Italian tennis community.”

Pietrangeli awarded Nadal the French Open trophy twice. The first time was in 2010, when Nadal claimed his fifth French Open title by defeating Robin Söderling, with Pietrangeli presenting the trophy personally. Ten years later, in 2020, after Nadal defeated Novak Djokovic in four sets to win his 13th Roland Garros crown, Pietrangeli again handed him the trophy. But Nadal is not the only one remembering Pietrangeli.

Fognini also posted a photo from Monte Carlo on social media, writing: “Dear Nick, a significant part of our history has vanished. This Monte Carlo photo means a lot to me: your example, your wisdom, your brilliance. You taught everyone what true victory means.”

The younger generation of Italian players also expressed their respect. The new Davis Cup champions Musetti and Cobolli each simply wrote on social media: “Goodbye, Nicola,” paying a humble tribute to the legend who paved the way for all Italian tennis stars.

Nicola Pietrangeli was born on September 11, 1933, in Tunisia, to an Italian father and Russian mother. He later became the first Italian player in history to win a Grand Slam, lifting the French Open trophy in 1959 and successfully defending it a year later. For decades, no Italian player matched his two Grand Slam singles titles until Sinner won his second Australian Open in 2025. His dominance extended beyond that.

From 1957 to 1964, Pietrangeli ranked within the world’s top ten, reaching as high as third place. He won a total of 67 career titles, including three Monte Carlo championships and two Italian Internationals. Yet perhaps his greatest achievements came in the Davis Cup.

He played 164 matches, holding the record for the most singles and doubles wins in Davis Cup history. He led the team to finals in 1960 and 1961, and as captain, he guided Italy to its first-ever Davis Cup victory in Chile in 1976.

His influence was so profound that in 2006, the beautiful Pallacorda court next to the Foro Italico in Rome, surrounded by statues, was officially named “Pietrangeli Court” in his honor.

His passion for tennis was so deep that he requested his funeral be held at the court named after him. Although the cause of his death has not been disclosed, his warm smile, elegance on the court, and remarkable achievements will continue to inspire all tennis lovers.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Spark)