Latest news with #PiattiAcademy
New York Times
01-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Rising U.S. tennis talent Tyra Grant will switch to represent Italy
Tyra Grant, who until this week was one of the most promising young players in American women's tennis, has decided to represent Italy. Grant, 17, is the daughter of an American father and an Italian mother. She was born in Rome and raised in Vigevano, a town near Milan in northern Italy, before training at the Piatti Academy in Bordighera, where men's world No. 1 Jannik Sinner also spent his formative tennis years. She relocated to Florida in 2023 and has since spent significant time training in the U.S., including at the USTA National Campus in Orlando. Advertisement Grant was not immediately available for comment through her representatives at IMG. In a text message April 30, a spokesperson for the USTA confirmed that Grant had informed USTA officials that she would represent Italy. A spokesperson for Italy's tennis federation, the FITP, said talks between Grant and tennis officials had been taking place and that a formal announcement could happen soon. The Italian Open, for which Grant has received a singles wild card, begins May 7 in Rome. Grant has a career-high singles ranking of No. 356 and has won three junior Grand Slam doubles titles. She last year won the Wimbledon girls' doubles title with another American rising talent, Iva Jovic, and reached the semifinals of the girls' singles at the 2024 French Open. Grant received a singles qualifying wild card to the 2025 Madrid Open, which is still owned by IMG as a deal for its sale to a consortium led by Endeavour chief executive Ari Emanuel approaches. She beat world No. 80 Tatjana Maria in the first round, but lost in the second. Perhaps more notable is the wild card to the Italian Open, which — of 10 singles wild cards awarded, Grant was the only non-Italian athlete to get one, at least at the time. In Madrid, she played with an American flag next to her name. But the week of April 28 in Rome, where Grant is playing in the pre-qualifying tournament for doubles ahead of the Italian Open, Grant has an Italian flag next to her name. It is not uncommon for American athletes with dual citizenship to choose to represent countries other than the U.S., where there is less competition for sponsorship dollars and potentially being the best in that country is worth more than being one of many elite players. Italy has just one female player, Jasmine Paolini, in the top 50 and three players in the top 100. The U.S. has four women in the top 10, two of them Grand Slam champions, and 18 in the top 100. Advertisement Naomi Osaka, born in Japan but raised largely in the U.S. by a Japanese mother and Haitian father, chose to represent Japan and soon became the world's highest-paid female athlete. She lit the Olympic flame at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. Eileen Gu, a freestyle skier from California with a Chinese mother, represents China, where there are fewer winter sports athletes. Gu became the youngest Olympic champion in freestyle skiing after winning two gold medals and one silver at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. Grant's father, Tyrone, grew up in Brooklyn and played college basketball at St. John's University in Queens. He signed a contract with the Charlotte Hornets of the NBA but did not last with the team and went on to a lengthy career in Europe, where his partner at the time, Cinzia Giovinco, gave birth to Tyra. Grant's brother, Tyson, also plays tennis as well. In an interview with The Athletic last year, Grant, who speaks fluent Italian, said she found the experience at the USTA campus in Orlando far different from her training in Europe in one very significant way. 'There's more people like me,' Grant, who said she there trained regularly with other Black juniors and pros for the first time, explained after a match during Wimbledon juniors in July.
Sydney Morning Herald
30-04-2025
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
The 12-year-old Aussie who's named after Novak Djokovic and has Alex de Minaur on speed dial
The good times kept coming for Palombo, who won the 12-and-under singles title in December at the Orange Bowl, one of the world's most prestigious junior events. He joined the likes of Roger Federer, Andy Murray and Coco Gauff on the honour roll. De Minaur even sent the Des Tyson-coached Palombo, who counts his backhand and mindset as his strengths, a congratulatory video message for his 'insane achievement'. 'I was shocked to see him send me a note,' Palombo said. 'It's a very tough tournament, and Alex said it was something that he could never do. It was definitely my best tournament win.' Palombo just returned from his whirlwind experience with de Minaur and co that ended with him representing Australia for the first time at the Asia-Oceania qualifying stage of the 14-and-under world junior teams event in Malaysia. He was the youngest player there. Palombo also has de Minaur's mobile number these days. He spent two hours one-on-one with the five-time major quarter-finalist at the Monte-Carlo Country Club, where he practised and played matches against members of the Italy-based Piatti Academy. That exclusive club was the venue for this month's Monte-Carlo Masters, where de Minaur advanced to the semi-finals. 'Alex brought me into the locker rooms of the Monte-Carlo tournament, and I got to see all the different pros [including Alexander Zverev and Cam Norrie] warming up,' Palombo said. 'I was talking with him, just me and him, for two hours while everyone else was training. It definitely made me feel more grateful that I got to be part of that experience, and I think for next year's winners, it will be one of the best times of their lives.' De Minaur, who described the initiative as 'one of the most exciting things' he had ever done, wanted to do his bit for the next generation. 'It was just finding exactly how we were going to be able to set this up to help these kids transition towards being a [professional] tennis player,' de Minaur said. 'I was so fortunate to learn so much from so many incredible tennis players in my past, through Davis Cup, through numerous experiences of dealing with some of the Australian greats. As much as there's a financial side to it ... the most important aspect of it is the mentorship; the tips and advice I can give behind the scenes.' Loading The Palombos know history is littered with would-be tennis champions who could not translate their junior triumphs to the professional tour. But they are intent on chasing the dream. That has meant making an 'enormous' financial sacrifice at the start of what Steven Palombo said was a 'very long and complex journey'. 'Novak has worked tremendously hard, and been extremely disciplined from a young age. He's achieved some significant milestones that put him in good stead to continue his journey – and it's more than a journey, right?' Steven said. 'It's his passion, and something that he loves doing every day.
The Age
30-04-2025
- Sport
- The Age
The 12-year-old Aussie who's named after Novak Djokovic and has Alex de Minaur on speed dial
The good times kept coming for Palombo, who won the 12-and-under singles title in December at the Orange Bowl, one of the world's most prestigious junior events. He joined the likes of Roger Federer, Andy Murray and Coco Gauff on the honour roll. De Minaur even sent the Des Tyson-coached Palombo, who counts his backhand and mindset as his strengths, a congratulatory video message for his 'insane achievement'. 'I was shocked to see him send me a note,' Palombo said. 'It's a very tough tournament, and Alex said it was something that he could never do. It was definitely my best tournament win.' Palombo just returned from his whirlwind experience with de Minaur and co that ended with him representing Australia for the first time at the Asia-Oceania qualifying stage of the 14-and-under world junior teams event in Malaysia. He was the youngest player there. Palombo also has de Minaur's mobile number these days. He spent two hours one-on-one with the five-time major quarter-finalist at the Monte-Carlo Country Club, where he practised and played matches against members of the Italy-based Piatti Academy. That exclusive club was the venue for this month's Monte-Carlo Masters, where de Minaur advanced to the semi-finals. 'Alex brought me into the locker rooms of the Monte-Carlo tournament, and I got to see all the different pros [including Alexander Zverev and Cam Norrie] warming up,' Palombo said. 'I was talking with him, just me and him, for two hours while everyone else was training. It definitely made me feel more grateful that I got to be part of that experience, and I think for next year's winners, it will be one of the best times of their lives.' De Minaur, who described the initiative as 'one of the most exciting things' he had ever done, wanted to do his bit for the next generation. 'It was just finding exactly how we were going to be able to set this up to help these kids transition towards being a [professional] tennis player,' de Minaur said. 'I was so fortunate to learn so much from so many incredible tennis players in my past, through Davis Cup, through numerous experiences of dealing with some of the Australian greats. As much as there's a financial side to it ... the most important aspect of it is the mentorship; the tips and advice I can give behind the scenes.' Loading The Palombos know history is littered with would-be tennis champions who could not translate their junior triumphs to the professional tour. But they are intent on chasing the dream. That has meant making an 'enormous' financial sacrifice at the start of what Steven Palombo said was a 'very long and complex journey'. 'Novak has worked tremendously hard, and been extremely disciplined from a young age. He's achieved some significant milestones that put him in good stead to continue his journey – and it's more than a journey, right?' Steven said. 'It's his passion, and something that he loves doing every day.
