Great reception of visitors at the Civic Art Gallery for the Davis Cup in Reggio Calabria. Two days and two stages of the trip to Calabria to allow tennis lovers to see up close and photograph the magnificent trophy won by the Azzurri. The city of the Strait, together with Cosenza, was chosen as a stage of “The Tour of emotions, a trophy for all of Italy”, the Trophy tour program, promoted by the Italian Tennis and Padel Federation. The trophy had been missing from Italy since 1976. There are two places where you can go to see the precious “silver salad bowl”, after the Art Gallery, on Monday 27 May it will be the turn of the “Rocco Polimeni” Tennis Club.
The event was attended by the mayor Giuseppe Falcomatà, accompanied by the councilor Franco Barreca, with the Commissioner of FITP Calabria and federal councilor, Joe Lappano, organizer of the stages, the President of Coni Calabria, Maurizio Condipodero, the honorary President of Coni, Mimmo Praticò , the President of the Calabria Sport and Health Committee, Walter Malacrino, the President of the Polimeni Club Ezio Previtera, the historic president of the same club, Igino Postorino, Marcello Fonga FITP Provincial Delegate.
During his greeting, Mayor Falcomatà said he was happy that the Davis Cup stopped in Reggio Calabria, expressing satisfaction with the decision of the Federation, which chose Reggio among many Calabrian cities to host the precious trophy. «We have also prepared ourselves as best we can for this sporting event and, not surprisingly, we have identified the Civic Art Gallery as the place to host the cup. Sport in our city is inextricably intertwined with our history, our identity and our culture. Sport at these levels for the values of solidarity, inclusion, education to sacrifice have a meaning of beauty, so what better place can host the Davis Cup than the art gallery which houses works of art? My hope is that the city, which has been visited by many tourists for weeks, can also see the Davis Cup among the chosen destinations which is not only beautiful to look at, but reminds us how our country can achieve important goals also through sport, such as he did in November last year.”
«An exciting day because this cup has 124 years of history and finally, after 46 years, our men’s national team managed to bring it back to Italy – added Lappano – thanks to Jannik Sinner and an exceptionally cohesive and united group. A result achieved thanks to a series of world-class players who are giving prestige to Italian tennis and this leads us to assume that it will not remain an isolated victory as happened in 196, but that many others will follow this success. Two months later there has already been Sinner’s sensational success at the Australian Open and we are certain that Italy will repeat itself not only on the men’s side, but also on the women’s side.”
«Sport is not only physical culture, healthy growth for children and a sort of discipline also in health, but above all it is that antibiotic that must be used by children to become citizens of tomorrow» commented President Condipodero. For the honorary president Praticò: «An important stage for the city and for sport which is often considered the last wheel of the wagon, but this is not the case. Instead, it is one of the first because it teaches the rules especially to the younger ones.”
«Thanks to you – President Melacrino added, addressing Lappano – because you managed with an important value for sport, represented by a cup, to unite our Region and call athletes and friends together, in an environment of high culture such as the Art Gallery: the cup brings values, the city of Reggio hosts the cup in a cultural environment, because sport is the driving force not only of respect for the rules but also of culture”.
