In the heart of the Tournament of the Masters’ week, during which I Tennis Foundation organized activities, meetings and special moments dedicated to the Little Tennis Champions project, one of the most significant events was the Charity Dinner Torino 2025, hosted in the beautiful setting of the Grand Hotel Sitea.
The evening was hosted by former WTA Top 300 Stefania Chieppa, joined by ambassadors and key figures from Italian and international tennis, who have supported the projects of I Tennis Foundation for many years.
Adding even more value to the event was the presence of some of the most important top coaches in the tennis world, whose experience and support continue to be fundamental for the growth of the project. Among them: Gipo Arbino, the long-time coach who guided Lorenzo Sonego to a career-high ATP ranking of No. 21 and member of the Foundation’s Technical Committee; Claudio Zimaglia, world-renowned physiotherapist and former key figure on the teams of Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic; and Vincenzo Santopadre, former ATP Top 100, ex-coach of Matteo Berrettini—whom he led to a Wimbledon final—and current coach of Lorenzo Sonego.
The evening also welcomed Mattia Cappellari, awarded last year as the best scholar of the LTC 21–24 cycle, together with three current LTC 25–26 scholarship athletes Demetra Mazzarella, Davide Dagnino and Carolina Pacini.
One of the main figures of the night was Vincenzo Santopadre, who received the recognition as a new Honorary Member of I Tennis Foundation.
“I’m very happy to be here. Receiving an award is always a pleasure,” Santopadre said. “Giving young players the chance to chase a dream is something truly special. We know how difficult it is to become a professional tennis player and overcome all the challenges along the way, which is why I think I Tennis Foundation is the perfect organization to offer these kids opportunities they might not otherwise have.”
The Charity Night was also an opportunity to celebrate the sponsors who make all Foundation activities possible, supporting the growth of young Italian talents. Among them, Gregorio Borgo, Executive President of Yokohama Europe and Main Sponsor of the Little Tennis Champions 2025–26 project, was honored as Honorary Member:
“I want to thank I Tennis Foundation for this recognition. It is a pleasure to be part of such an important project. Congratulations to the players and to the whole organization for the extraordinary work they are doing.”
In addition to Yokohama, the evening dedicated a special moment to the other partners who support all the programs of I Tennis Foundation. Project Team Manager Simone Bongiovanni, together with board members Giovanni Annicchino, Alessandro Belluzzo, Antonio Morone, Giuseppe Martorana, Filippo Fanfani and Manuel Galante, expressed their special thanks to Mr. Hu Kun, CEO of ZTE, for his presence at the event, along with the other key sponsors:
- Giovanni Ponzoni, CEO of Yokohama Europe
- Claudia Versaldi, Marketing & Communication Synergie
- Girolamo Pepe, President and Founder of OMA
- Alessandro Ferrari, Commercial Director, Iren Luce & Gas
- Michele Mollo, representing Mollo Noleggio
- Carola Canossi, Marketing & Communication Manager, Assist Digital
- Luca Gandini, CEO of Atla
“Thank you all for being here,” said Giovanni Annicchino, co-founder of the Foundation. “We will continue to do everything possible to support both Italian and international I Tennis Foundation scholars, working closely with their families and clubs.”
The new scholarship cycle, launched in July 2025, follows a one-year program that combines technical training with the Foundation’s top coaches (in recent months the athletes have already trained with coaches such as Simone Tartarini, Gipo Arbino, Vincenzo Santopadre, Damiano Fiorucci and Omar Camporese) and participation in Tennis Europe Under 14 and Under 16 tournaments.
The program also includes essential activities such as mental coaching, coordinated by Stefano Massari (long-time mental coach of Matteo Berrettini) and carried out by Simone Bongiovanni and the Foundation’s staff.
