Tennis is good for your health and the excellence of Italian champions is driving the sensational expansion of this sport: more and more kids are choosing to pick up the racket, but no less are the adults who have always practiced this discipline. A real boom with positive effects also on public health; scientific studies (conducted by the Sydney Medical School Study, the American Medical Association Study and the Copenhagen City Heart Study) have demonstrated, in fact, that playing tennis increases life expectancy by almost ten years and improves the quality of life of the population less young, with benefits from a physical and mental point of view.
The numbers. The results of the research – conducted on a sample of 20,000 people between 20 and 93 years old – say that, compared to the group of sedentary people, the increase in life expectancy for the various sports sees tennis in first place with +9 ,7 years. Followed by: badminton +6.2, football +4.7, cycling +3.7, swimming +3.4 and jogging +3.2.
“We can only be happy: medical studies officially certify that tennis not only extends life, but also makes us younger. Well: we, at FITP, have anticipated science, we have understood this for some time. This is why we have always believed in the ‘Tennis&Friends’ project, which is not just an event but an idea of prevention and sport, understood as a philosophy of life. And we are happy that so many people, passionate about racket sports such as tennis, padel and pickleball, can take advantage of it and enjoy it here in Turin, at the Nitto ATP Finals”, he comments Angelo Binaghi, FITP President.
“International studies prove it, sport is prevention, and tennis in particular helps prevent the onset of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, extending life expectancy by almost 10 years – he explains Giorgio Meneschincheri, founder of Tennis & Friends Salute e Sport, medical specialist in preventive medicine at the Gemelli University Hospital and professor at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart – The physical activity practiced by the population also has a positive impact on healthcare spending with an average saving of 0.6% on healthcare costs. The OECD says that if Europeans practiced more sport, the onset of 11.5 million new cases of chronic diseases could be avoided by 2050, of which 3.8 million cardiovascular diseases and 3.5 million cases of depression. The ability of tennis to be a prevention tool increases thanks to the success of Italian tennis players: excellence attracts more and more people who approach this discipline”
Tennis and longevity: the relationship between sport and health at the center of the debate at the Nitto ATP Finals
Inside the Fan Village of the Nitto ATP Finals, Tennis & Friends – Salute e Sport, the event’s official charity, is organizing two moments of discussion on the link between sport and health. These meetings, designed to raise public awareness of the benefits of sport and prevention, will see the participation of experts and personalities from the sporting and medical world.
Friday at 5pmthe conference will be held at the stage area of the Fan Village “Tennis and young people: passion, discipline and future – FITP’s commitment to the growth of new generations through teaching, training and practice”. Speakers at the event will include Giorgio Meneschincheri, President and founder of Tennis & Friends – Health and Sport, specialist in preventive medicine at the Gemelli University Hospital and professor at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart; Luca Sbrascini, federal technician of FITP, Marco Gonella, director of Psychologist SC Business Psychology ASL City of Turin. On stage: the students of the FITP Higher Training Institute, the students participating in the Master of the National Circuit “Road to Turin”.
Saturday 16th at 12pm, will be presented”An Ace for Research”the initiative of Intesa Sanpaolo and the Piedmontese Foundation for Cancer Research. Intesa Sanpaolo contributes to the project by donating 100 euros for each Ace scored by the finalists in the next Nitto ATP Finals in Turin, which becomes 1000 on the occasion of the final. Anyone can support the initiative through ForFunding, Intesa Sanpaolo’s fundraising platform, to support solidarity projects promoted by selected non-profit organisations.
This year the objective of the campaign is even more important because thanks to the funds raised the “first stone” of the new Biobank of the Candiolo-IRCCS Institutea space of approximately 3000 square meters where biological samples and related information from cancer patients will be stored. The objective of the Biobank is to develop diversified and large-scale studies on optimally preserved biological samples, to achieve increasingly early and precise diagnoses and therapies, multiplying the chances of success even against the most aggressive tumors. Gianmarco Sala, director of the Piedmontese Foundation for Cancer Research, Claudia Vassena, Executive Director Sales & Marketing Digital Retail of Intesa Sanpaolo and Giorgio Meneschincheri will be present.
Saturday at 5pm debate is scheduled “Italian tennis conquers the world: a model for young people to follow”will explore the impact of the international successes of Italian tennis players on the development of a national sporting culture, with positive effects on public health. In a country where the average age is constantly growing (at the end of 2022, Istat data, the average age is 46.4 years), sporting activities such as tennis, padel and pickleball play a crucial role in maintaining psychophysical health, promoting the prevention of metabolic diseases such as diabetes and slowing down cognitive decline.
Participating in the debate will be: Angelo Binaghi, President of FITP; Domenico Carretta, Councilor for Sport of the Municipality of Turin; Carlo Picco, General Director of the ASL City of Turin and Scientific Manager of the event together with Giorgio Meneschincheri; Luca Stefanini, Healthcare Manager of Juventus FC and General Director of J Medical; and Nicola Pietrangeli, icon of Italian tennis and Honorary President of Tennis & Friends – Health and Sport.
During the event, the Fan Village will also host the screening of docufilm “Tennis & Friends – Prevention takes to the field”produced by Aut Aut in collaboration with RAI Documentari and directed by Angelo Bozzolini. With the participation of Fiorello, Mara Venier, Paolo Bonolis and Maria De Filippi, the documentary recounts the commitment of the Tennis & Friends project in promoting prevention and a healthy lifestyle, combining sport, health and entertainment to raise awareness among the general public about fundamental issues for everyone’s well-being.
Tennis & Friends – Health and Sport A week of free visits
In the first five days of Fan Village, from 9 to 13 November) there were approximately 3000 free visits by Tennis&Friends in the Health area, coordinated by the ASL City of Turin where doctors and specialists, until Sunday 17 November, offer free screening to the public without reservations.
Every day from 9am to 8pm, dermatologists, gynaecologists, nutritionists, cardiologists and ENT specialists from the excellent Piedmontese healthcare sector are available, with the involvement of the following structures, coordinated by the City of Turin ASL: IRCCS Istituto Candiolo Oncology Center ‘Excellence, The Koelliker group, Clinica Santa Caterina da Siena Turin and Maria Pia Hospital Turin of the GVM care and research, J Medical and the Institute of sports medicine.
In the field of health
Prevention takes the field in the tournament “Una Volée per la Salute”dal 15th to 17th November, between 4pm and 5.30pmwhich will feature characters from the world of sport, entertainment and culture, ready to take to the padel and pickleball courts of the Fan Village, in support of the values of Tennis & Friends. Among the ambassadors of the initiative: Edoardo Leo, Max Giusti, Paolo Bonolis, Al Bano, Piero Chiambretti, Marzia Roncacci, Marco Tardelli, Paola Turci, Sebastiano Somma, Stefano Pantano, Stefano Fiore, Stefano Meloccaro, Angelo Mangiante, Vincenzo Ferrera, Jimmy Ghione, Eleonora Daniele, Beppe Convertini, Dario Marcolin, Leonardo Metalli, Vittorio Brumotti, Filippo Bisceglie, Giuliano Giannichedda, Vincent Candela, Massimiliano Ossini, Maurizio Battista, Roberto Ciufoli, Marco Capretti.
