I Tennis Foundation presented the 2026-27 edition of its Little Tennis Champions program today at the Circolo della Stampa Sporting in Turin, in the presence of the twelve selected scholarship recipients, who also performed a short on-court exhibition. The event featured four key figures in Italian tennis: Italian champion Lorenzo Sonego, fresh from his third round appearance at Wimbledon; Gipo Arbino, currently coaching Filippo Romano, born in 2005; Matteo Donati, an honorary member of I Tennis, former ATP No. 159 and current coach of promising Italian player Tyra Grant; and Alessandro Petrone, the coach who coached Matteo Arnaldi to the top 30 and who has been working with the scholarship recipients in recent days, along with the charity’s technical staff.
The 2026-27 program includes 26 scholarships for boys and girls born in 2011 and 2012, divided into four categories: Full, Gold, Basic, and Light Scholarship. A plan that values meritocracy and respect for the rules, rewarding the commitment and family circumstances of participants.
Among the main innovations of the 2026-27 edition are the entry of two young Romanian athletes, Eliza Andra Deaconu and Alexia Enache, selected through an international competition dedicated to Romanian talent, and the introduction of three new annual Full Scholarships, in addition to the confirmation of the scholarship recipients from the previous season.
It is, therefore, a very special week for all the scholarship recipients: Ianis Alberto Cruceru, Arber Dano, Davide Dagnino, Ljubisa Krulj, Petar Stankovic, and Paolo Toscano, and Eliza Andra Deaconu, Alexia Enache, Maria Chiara Forgione, Anesa Ismajli, Nadja Knezevic, and Carolina Pacini.
Two promising Romanian tennis stars, Natalia Dicu and Natalia Dragomir, also joined the opening week in Turin, participating in on-court training and classroom sessions.
The I Tennis Foundation’s technical committee, partially present at the gathering, includes some of the biggest names in world tennis: Emilio Sanchez, former ATP No. 7 and founder of Europe’s first tennis academy, who gave a special lesson on Monday; Ivan Ljubicic, former ATP No. 3 and Roger Federer’s coach for seven years; Simone Tartarini, Lorenzo Musetti’s coach; Omar Camporese, former ATP No. 18 and Davis Cup star; and Damiano Fiorucci, Musetti’s athletic trainer. All are friends and supporters of the association’s educational and sporting mission.
“The 2026-27 program represents a new step forward in our vision: to offer young people a technical, mental, and human journey that can change their future,” said Simone Bongiovanni, co-founder, team manager, and coach of the Little Tennis Champions project. “The entry of Romanian athletes, the expansion of scholarships, and the presence of our international coaches confirm the growth of a model that unites sport, education, and solidarity.”
The project is supported by Main Sponsors Yokohama and Axpo Italia, Official Sponsors La Roche-Posay, Coop Lombardia, Assist Digital, and Cogefin, and the new Official Technical Supplier adidas, which will provide the scholarship recipients with high-quality technical materials.
Little Tennis Champions 2026-27 confirms the international and inclusive mission of the I Tennis Foundation: a program that unites sport, education, and solidarity, a human journey that teaches people to believe in their dreams and build the future through talent and solidarity.
UPCOMING EVENTS
The season calendar includes technical and competitive events in Italy and Europe: after the kickoff week in Turin (July 6-10), the group will be in Palermo for the WTA 125K (July 16-23), followed by the ITF Sofia J30. The ITF San Marino J60, Cuneo J30, and Livorno J30 tournaments are scheduled for August. In September, the annual training program in Turin will begin for the three full scholarships, with participation in the ITF J100 Palermo and the Tennis Europe Under-16 tournament in Parma, as well as the ITF J60 Pescara.
In the fall, the program will continue with the ITF J36 Porec and a high-level training program: from November 13 to 17, during the 2026 Nitto ATP Finals, the players will participate in special tactical sessions with Ivan Ljubicic and the coaches of the I Tennis Foundation. The association’s autumn Charity Dinner will also be held at that time. The season will conclude in December with two ITF J30 tournaments in Saint-Denis and a week of intensive training in Cap d’Ail, Monte Carlo. Other international events will take place in 2027, including the traditional Charity Night during the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome.
The initiative, sponsored by Sport e Salute, the Piedmont Region, the Municipality of Turin, the Professional Tennis Registry, the CRC Foundation, the Cecilia Gilardi Foundation, and the tennis federations of Albania, Kosovo, and Montenegro, is supported by prestigious brands:
Main Sponsors Yokohama and Axpo;
Official Sponsors La Roche-Posay, Coop Lombardia, Assist Digital, and Cogefin (Colombo Group);
Supporters Crazy Pizza, Dental Feel, Profilmec, Unical, Pittarosso, Atla, Oma, MascoGroup, and Nova Coop;
Technical Supplier Heads adidas, Dunlop, Eurocar, The Athlete Architects, Angelini Academy, Valmora, Mollo Noleggio, La Scuola dei campioni, and Publyteam.
