We are ready to welcome the challenges of the new year, after a 2024 incredibly rich in success, growth and inspiration for the young talents supported by I Tennis Foundation.
In May, we remember the wonderful charity night and scholarship award ceremony at the Circolo degli Esteri in Rome in the presence of outstanding testimonials supporting I Tennis’ charitable activities such as Lorenzo Sonego, Matteo Arnaldi, Italian champions Jasmine Paolini, Elisabetta Cocciaretto and Mara Santangelo, Dayana Yastremska, and great Italian coaches Arbino, Tartarini, Furlan, Petrone, Scolari and Santopadre.
In those days in the Tennis Europe Under-16 Grade 1 “Internazionali d’Italia under-16” tournament at the Foro Italico Matteo Gribaldo and the Galli-Fiorillo pair shined by reaching the finals of men’s singles and women’s doubles, respectively.
July then saw the start of the third edition of the Intesa Sanpaolo Assicurazioni Little Tennis Champions project, with special training sessions at the Circolo della Stampa Sporting in Turin in the presence of our Partners and Authorities, with a week of preparation for the youngsters under the orders of Gipo Arbino and Emilio Sanchez.
August was a month to remember for exciting double wins in the ITF J30 tournaments in Cuneo and Livorno, with Francesca Galli and Mattia Cappellari able to string together 3 titles and 2 finals in two weeks. Francesca’s streak then stopped at 15 consecutive wins in ITF matches only the following week in the final at the J60 Domzale in Slovenia.
In September the ITF tournaments in Palermo and Pescara gave the I Tennis Foundation team a total of 4 titles and 1 final, with the great protagonists being the Cerbo-Fiorillo pair and the Tuscan Matteo Gribaldo finalist in singles and doubles champion in Palermo.
The meeting in Turin in November was full of emotions: on the one hand, the close encounter with champions Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi in Cuneo on the occasion of the event “Dialoghi sul talento” organized by Fondazione CRC in collaboration with I Tennis Foundation inspired the young athletes, on the other hand, the great matches of the Nitto ATP Finals offered the youngsters unforgettable moments interspersed with the special training sessions with Ivan Ljubicic and Gipo Arbino.
December finally consecrated Matteo Gribaldo as Italian Under 16 Champion, crowning a spectacular season that saw him star with ITF titles in doubles and numerous prestigious placings in singles. The title in men’s pairs with the tricolor in women’s doubles won by Martina Cerbo at the Italian Under 15 Championships in Rome.
The extraordinary balance of 2024 recorded a total of 11 titles, including 2 Italian absolute titles and a total of 12 finals played.
Based on these good premises, we prepare ourselves together with the team and the kids to face the new year with the same constructive spirit with a view to improving the performance of the youngsters, which we hope will be followed by more good performances by the I Tennis team!
In the coming days I Tennis Foundation will announce the schedule and appointments for the first half of 2025, which will start with the kids’ participation in the ITF J500 in Cairo and ITF J300 in Casablanca tournaments.