As captain of the historic Davis Cup-winning team in 1976, his two victories at Roland Garros were the most significant of the 48 tournaments he won during his career. The memorial will be held at the “Pietrangeli” court at the Foro Italico. CONI has called for a minute of silence at all sporting events

Farewell to a tennis legend. Italian sports mourn the death of Nicola Pietrangeli, 92, the first Italian to win a Grand Slam. He won two—the 1959 and 1960 French Open—and held the Italian record for nearly 65 years before being surpassed just last January 26 by Sinner, who reached three titles: “Records are meant to be broken sooner or later,” he had commented in his last interview with *Sports Prediction* of *Lo Sport*. He was the captain of Italy’s first Davis Cup-winning team in 1976. The past few months had not been easy for the former Italian champion, who had to cope with the death of his son Giorgio (who had also been a surfing champion), who passed away in July at age 59 after a long illness. Pietrangeli had received the news at the Policlinico Gemelli, where he was hospitalized for tests. His grief had further worsened his health. The viewing for Nicola Pietrangeli will be held at the Pietrangeli Stadium on Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The funeral will be held at 3 p.m. at Ponte Milvio. This was announced by the family of the former tennis champion. CONI has called for a minute of silence at all sporting events taking place today and in the coming days

Born in Tunis on September 11, 1933, to an Italian father and a mother of Russian descent, Pietrangeli arrived in Rome after his family was expelled from Tunisia. His two victories in Paris—where he also reached the finals in 1961 and 1964 —were the pinnacle of a career filled with triumphs, with a total of 48 tournament victories, including two Italian Open titles, in 1957 and 1961, and three Monte Carlo titles, in 1961, 1967, and 1968. From 1959 to 1961, he was also ranked No. 3 in the world, according to the rankings compiled by journalists before the computer era. He was also a great doubles player alongside Orlando Sirola: together they won Roland Garros in 1959. In the Davis Cup, he holds the record for matches played (164) and won (120), but it was as a non-playing captain that he linked his name to Italy’s first major international success: the 4-1 victory by the “Azzurri Musketeers” in Santiago, Chile, against the hosts.

“The passing of Nicola Pietrangeli deeply saddens the entire Italian sports community. With him, we lose not only an extraordinary champion, but an icon, an eternal symbol of his sport. Pietrangeli embodied Italian tennis: his talent, his charisma, and his victories have left an indelible mark on entire generations.” This is how CONI President Luciano Buonfiglio remembers him. “Through his successes, he brought Italy to the international spotlight, paving the way for a tradition that continues to shine today thanks in part to the path he blazed.” “It’s hard to reconcile the greatness of the athlete with the simplicity of the man,” recalls Sports Minister Abodi. “In some ways, he was a revolutionary who wrote the history of Italian tennis—that’s exactly who Nicola was. But above all, he leaves us a friend, a straightforward person who fought fiercely and who leaves us an immense legacy, not just in sports.” “Today we lose a figure who shaped the history of sports with extraordinary talent and passion. Nicola Pietrangeli was a symbol of Italian tennis,” writes Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni

A moved Corrado Barazzutti: “Nicola was a part of my life; we spent a very long time together. When I was young, he was a role model for me, an example, my idol. I used to watch him play in the Davis Cup, and that’s what really moved me. Later, I first faced him as an opponent—we played against each other—then as a Davis Cup teammate, and finally as a captain. We worked together for twenty years at the federation, so he was like family to me.” The captain of the Billie Jean King Cup was also moved  Tatiana Garbin also spoke: “For me, Nicola was much more than just a great champion. He was a mainstay of our tennis, a presence you always felt right there.” Volandri echoed her sentiments: “We’re losing an icon and a mentor, but his spirit will remain with us—in every Davis Cup and in every young player who steps onto the court wearing the blue jersey.” Lorenzo Musetti also paid tribute to him in an Instagram story. “Dear Nick, a huge piece of our history is leaving us. This photo in Monte Carlo means everything to me: your example, your sense of humor, your radiance. You taught everyone what it truly means to win,” writes Fabio Fognini on Instagram. One of the first to remember Pietrangeli is former Spanish champion Rafa Nadal, who writes, “I’ve just heard the sad news of the passing of a giant of Italian and world tennis. My deepest condolences to his entire family, his son Filippo, and the entire Italian tennis community. Rest in peace, Nicola.” On X, several soccer clubs—including Napoli, Roma, and Lazio, of which he was a fan—also paid tribute to him

Sport e Salute remembered him this way: “Nicola Pietrangeli embodied a vision: one in which talent becomes culture, discipline becomes style, and history becomes the future. He taught everyone what it means to represent Italy with pride. We have lost not only a champion, but a guardian of the beauty, elegance, and passion that Italian tennis has been able to express thanks to him.”

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