Italy's Court Icon Nicola Pietrangeli Has Died at the Age of 92

Italian sport says goodbye to a true pioneer: Nicola Pietrangeli, a double French Open champion, has died at the age of 92.

Pietrangeli etched his name by emerging as the first Italian to win a Grand Slam singles title, achieving his first triumph at Roland Garros in 1959 and successfully defending the prestigious trophy in 1960.

With a staggering 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was long held to be the nation's greatest ever player prior to the advent of current world number two and four-time 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 Italian Tennis Federation.

Alongside his two French Open victories, Pietrangeli also finished as runner-up in Paris in both 1961 and 1964.

He set a remarkable 164 matches played for Italy in the Davis Cup, 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 double winner, commented: "It is with deep sadness that we bid farewell to Nicola Pietrangeli, a veritable legend of Italian tennis..."