Tennis is a team sport at Tennis Trophy 2024

The final rounds of the 8th Kinder Joy of moving Tennis Trophy International Master took place at the Rafa Nadal Academy, in Manacor, Spain, from 28 to 31 October 2024.

The annual event for girls and boys aged 9 to 12 marked the pinnacle of an exciting journey featuring hundreds of local tournaments held in 12 different countries: Italy, France, Poland, Luxembourg, Austria, Croatia, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Cape Verde and, for the first time ever, Greece and Switzerland. 
As the first and only non-competitive tennis tournament centered on friendship and fair play, the Kinder Joy of moving Tennis Trophy International Master offered a truly joyful experience where tennis became a team sport. Indeed, the real champions were everyone who overcame shyness, made new friends, embraced diversity, and had fun.

More than a competition, the event provided a framework for promoting the positive values of sports and the importance of physical activity as an expression of Kinder Joy of moving, a Ferrero international social responsibility project. By shifting the focus from performance to enjoyment, and from competition to collaboration, the international tournament aimed to inspire children and their families to get active in a joyful and engaging way, while promoting the lifelong values of friendship, respect, confidence, and personal growth. All of which was based on the strong belief that a positive attitude towards movement would make today's children, better adults tomorrow.

With the aim of creating a joyful experience for everyone involved, the Kinder Joy of moving Tennis Trophy is the place where tennis goes beyond a simple match to become an opportunity to team up with others and craft unforgetable memories. Children, families, numerous ambassadors, and professional and former tennis players all came together to live and spread the values of the project, including Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, ambassador of the Tennis Trophy in France and globally.

Furthermore, all matches were held without referees, allowing the players to field decisions themselves and increasing their autonomy and decision-making skills in the process. Guided by an educational goal of fair play, the event encouraged participants to have fun, while promoting the essential values of relationships, friendships, and respect for one’s opponents and teammates. There were also 1-on-1 matches and inclusive games, including mixed pairs, mixed nationalities, and parent-child competitions.

The Junior Wheelchair division also returned to the International Master that year, as a culmination of the matches held throughout Italy and France.

The Kinder Joy of moving Tennis Trophy was originally created by professional tennis player Rita Grande in collaboration with Kinder Joy of moving and local Tennis Foundations. In its 8th international edition, the tournament continued to celebrate the joy of movement above all else, regardless of the sport, setting, or skill level of the participants. Indeed, as players took to the courts with this positive spirit, they had the opportunity to meet, play, and grow together surrounded by their families.

More than a trophy, a joyful experience!