The journey to the arena was already a moment of great excitement. While walking – and it was quite a long walk, as many pointed out – people joked around, talking about football, sport and the thrill of seeing their idols up close. Before entering, some people took the opportunity to have a snack, while others enjoyed guessing who would score during training.
Newspaper
JUNIOR
A day at the ATP Finals: the story of the second year secondary school pupils
Classes 2A and 2B enjoyed a truly special outing: a morning at the Inalpi Arena to watch the ATP Finals training sessions, the event that brings the world's best tennis players to Turin. For many students, it was their first time seeing champions such as Sinner, Alcaraz, Shelton, King, Fritz and Auger-Aliassime up close.
Once inside, the students were able to watch the professionals closely as they prepared for their matches. Class 2A recounts entering during Harrison–King's training session, then watching Shelton–Auger Aliassime and finally Sinner–Alcaraz. A funny moment made everyone smile: when Shelton took off his shirt, 'all the girls, including the teachers, turned to look at him'.
There were also small stories of friendship: someone carried a classmate's backpack, someone gave away a key ring of their favourite team, someone shared sweets or a chocolate bar. Small gestures that made the day even more special.
Several students wanted to add their comments:
Lucrezia: "It was great fun watching some important tennis players like Sinner play and trying to get them to sign the ball. It was really cool!!!"
Paolo: "It was a memorable experience, even though I didn't manage to get Sinner to sign my notebook."
Tommaso F.: "It was great to see real matches in practice without the anxiety of points!"
Tommaso G.: "In my opinion, it was a very nice experience, especially because I am a tennis fan and I play twice a week."
Margherita: "I found it very exciting and I am very grateful to have had this experience."
Everyone agrees on one thing: it was an unforgettable day, which allowed us to get closer to tennis in a unique way and see the world's greatest athletes up close.
