Which Italian man won the 1976 French Open men's singles title?

Adriano Panatta won the 1976 French Open men’s singles title.

The Italian defeated American Harold Solomon in the final, winning 6–1, 6–4, 4–6, 7–6. It was Panatta’s first and only major singles championship, and it made him the first Italian man in the Open Era to win a Grand Slam singles title.

His route to the trophy was especially notable because he saved a match point against Pavel Huťka in the opening round. Panatta then defeated two-time defending champion Björn Borg in the quarterfinals. Borg had previously beaten Panatta in the 1975 French Open semifinal, but Panatta remains the only player to defeat Borg at Roland-Garros twice.

The 1976 title was part of a remarkable season. Panatta also won the Italian Open and helped Italy capture its first Davis Cup title. He reached world No. 4 that year, the highest ranking of his career. Paolo Bertolucci was a fellow Italian player and doubles partner, while Nicola Pietrangeli’s major triumphs came earlier.