During the 1960 French Open final, Nicola Pietrangeli removed his shoes during a break and saw his socks were soaked in blood. Luis Ayala’s constant drop shots and lobs had forced him to run so much that the skin peeled off his feet. He finished the tough match playing on raw flesh, yet moved “with the elegance of a matador” to win his second Roland Garros title. Today, the Italian legend is no more, as Pietrangeli left a lasting legacy in tennis history.

Nicola Pietrangeli has died at the age of 92. The Italian Tennis Federation confirmed his passing on Monday. They noted that his health had declined after he suffered a hip fracture in December 2024 .

The exact cause of death was not immediately known. His death also came just months after the loss of his son, Giorgio, who p

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