Italy's Court Great Nicola Pietrangeli Has Died at 92

Italian sport says goodbye to a genuine legend: Nicola Pietrangeli, a two-time French Open champion, left us at the age of 92.

Pietrangeli etched his name by becoming the pioneering Italian to win a Grand Slam singles title, securing his initial triumph at the French Open in 1959 and retaining the prestigious trophy in 1960.

With a staggering 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was long held to be the country's greatest ever player prior to the emergence of current world number two and four-times major winner Jannik Sinner.

"The sport in Italy is grieving an legend. Nicola Pietrangeli, the sole Italian enrolled in the World Tennis Hall of Fame, has died," confirmed the national federation.

In addition to his pair of French Open triumphs, Pietrangeli also reached the final in Paris in the years 1961 and 1964.

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

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