By Richard Pagliaro Monday, December 1, 2025
Image source: Wikimedia Commons
Italy has lost an icon.
Former world No. 3 Nicola PetrangeliConsidered the greatest Italian player of the pre-Open era, he has died at the age of 92.
The Italian Tennis Federation announced Pietrangeli’s death on social media today. No cause of death was given.
A classic clay-court champion, Pietrangeli won back-to-back French Open singles titles in 1959 and 1960 with his clever strokes and sheer determination. He partnered with Orlando Sirola to win the French Open doubles title in 1959 and reached the Wimbledon singles semifinals in 1960.
A committed team player, Pietrangeli captained the Italian Davis Cup team to the 1976 Davis Cup championship. Davis Cup hero Pietrangeli still holds the record for the most Davis Cup singles wins and the most Davis Cup wins for an Italian team. His singles record was 78-32 and his doubles record was 42-12.
Hall of Famer Bud Collins wrote of the Italian icon in his “Encyclopedia of Tennis”: “At 5 feet 11 inches tall, Niki had a remarkable instinct and anticipation of the game. He was an all-around performer with graceful and purposeful movements.” “His career was in the amateur era, winning 53 singles titles, reaching the top ten in the world five times between 1957 and 1964, and ranking third from 1959 to 1960.”
Pietrangeli became the first Italian inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1986. Read his article The Hall of Fame profile is here.
