Torino Tennis Talents project presented with Lorenzo Sonego and Mayor Chiara Appendino

Playing tennis under the technical supervision of Gipo Arbino, the coach of the champion Lorenzo Sonego, and having the opportunity to compete in Italy and abroad. This is the dream that Edoardo Zanada (20), Alessia Tagliente (19), Ludovico Madiai (17), Chiara Fornasieri (17) and Mario Nicolas Alarcon (15), the Piedmontese talents selected by the I Tennis Foundation – a Turin-based charity founded in 2018 – for the Torino Tennis Talents (TTT) project, are living.

Promoted and financed by the I Tennis Foundation and the Fondazione Cecilia Gilardi, TTT provides the young players with five annual scholarships of € 6,000.00 each, for a total of € 30,000.00, from 1 October 2020 to 30 September 2021.

The teenagers, selected on the basis of their tennis level, aptitude, dedication on the court, and the family’s financial possibilities, will receive important support for participation in the most important national and international tournaments and educational and relational support to improve motivation and aptitude. In addition to Sonego, another tennis player from Turin is the testimonial of the initiative, Giulia Gatto-Monticone, ATP best-ranking n. 148. A project that further demonstrates how tennis is a very important sport for Turin, in the year in which the city will host the NITTO ATP Finals.

The initiative also includes the supply of technical equipment, training sessions at the Circolo della Stampa Sporting Club in Turin and a one-week internship at the Forte Village Resort in Santa Margherita di Pula, as part of another project promoted by the I Tennis Foundation, Little Tennis Champions (LTC), which aims to offer deserving children from less well-off families a full scholarship for their schooling and tennis training.

Chiara Appendino, Mayor of Turin, honorary member of the I Tennis Foundation and vice-president of Federtennis: “It has certainly been a very tough year for our city. Projects of this kind are undoubtedly to be praised, because they give confidence and joy, especially in a period like the one we are going through. I would like to thank Simone Bongiovanni and the I Tennis Foundation for giving these five talents a dream. These kids now have a great opportunity and I am sure they will benefit from it, doing good for themselves, but also for Turin. After all, tennis is a sport that has given so much satisfaction to our community and I am sure it will continue to do so thanks to the ATP Finals”.

Lorenzo Sonego, n. 33 ATP professional tennis player and testimonial of the TTT project: “Turin is my city and I am really happy to be able to be an example for the younger Piedmontese athletes. The project was conceived and developed by the I Tennis Foundation, Simone Bongiovanni’s charity to which I am very attached and who is a big fan of mine. Torino Tennis Talents has given these five young tennis players the opportunity to pursue their dream. Something like this should make us reflect on the specific weight of meritocracy not only in tennis but in all sport. I wish the best of luck to the five talents Edoardo, Alessia, Ludovico, Chiara, and Mario Nicolas”.

Simone Bongiovanni, founder, and president of the I Tennis Foundation: “We have established the I Tennis Foundation to support less fortunate children who have tennis talent, but unfortunately do not have the means to play this magnificent sport. The vocation of our project is exclusively humanitarian, we want to help talents who have an innate determination and hunger for social redemption, giving them the chance to succeed on the court and in life. TTT is a project in which we believe a lot and, in this regard, I take this opportunity to thank Mayor Chiara Appendino, Alessandro Gilardi, Lorenzo Sonego, Gipo Arbino, the Circolo della Stampa Sporting Club, Giulia Gatto Monticone, and the sponsors. I am convinced that the boys and girls who have been awarded the scholarship will give their best in this adventure”.

“This initiative is commendable because it is aimed at young people to help them develop their talents and vocation” – concludes Luciano Borghesan, president of the Circolo della Stampa Sporting – “allowing those who have more economic difficulties to move forward with their contribution”.

We would like to thank Codè Crai Ovest, Atla Srl, Mollo noleggio, Assist spa and Compet-e for their support.

Follow the project’s Instagram account: @torinotennistalents