VIDEOS: GSPDP/ITF Touring Team enjoy success in Italy on European tour
By competing at J500 Milan, members of the Grand Slam Player Development Programme/ITF Touring Team are facing the biggest challenge of their European tour so far.
But whatever happens at their latest competitive engagement, the tour has already proven a productive period in terms of silverware for the team following success in the opening few weeks.
Norway’s Nicolai Budkov Kjaer, a member of the GSPDP/ITF B (17-and-under) team, has most certainly caught the eye after topping the podium at J300 Santa Croce sull’Arno – the biggest title of his career – at the weekend.
View this post on Instagram
His mesmerising triumph included a stunning straight-sets victory over Mexico’s Rodrigo Pacheco, who is ranked No. 3 in the ITF World Tennis Tour Junior Rankings, in the last four.
The 16-year-old proceeded to defeat Ukraine’s Volodymyr Iakubenko in the final, which followed his earlier title at J200 Salsomaggiore, while he also reached the final at J200 Prato.
View this post on Instagram
There has also been success for Bulgaria’s Elizara Yaneva, again a member of the GSPDP/ITF B (17-and-under) team, after she topped the podium in the singles at J200 Salsomaggiore and J200 Prato.
Throughout the tour, players and coaches from the Touring Team will capture behind-the-scenes footage to give a flavour of what it is like to travel as part of the team, and the collective and individual development which takes place during their time together.
These short-form videos will be posted across the ITF's social media (Twitter, Facebook and Instagram) channels, with the moment Kjaer collected his J300 Santa Croce trophy captured on film.