If the tennis of "Octarian Orti"It was an elitist parenthesis, a social image, A small insight in a city of other times, The first attempts of a greater sporting involvement, they only had in 1929, When the Tennis Verona Association was founded on the initiative of G. Franco Fedrigoni, who was the first president, and of a group of his friends who so much made to convince the Municipality to build three fields in the area of Porta San Giorgio, Fields that opened new perspectives to fans who did not have the opportunity to play in the aforementioned exclusive club.

The spirit with which the circle was born suggested the name, "Association", that is, partnership of friends in the most complete sense of the word. How he wrote his current president to Honorem Alessandro Sartori, on the occasion of its 60th anniversary, The Tennis Association managed to take the first steps and to overcome delicate moments not only because its pioneers were infected with fervent sports passion. Indeed, To cement a truly exceptional sports link in the panorama of Italian circles, It was the ability to be friends of the founding members and subsequent members, A bond of friendship that underlies all the close and distant events that we are telling.

The development of the circle in a sporting and competitive sense was particularly favored, Starting from 1932, and Vasco Valerio, To which the European Juniores team championship is named today. His presence proved to be very useful in training, Given the rapid rise in national values. Valerio had also had the good fortune to serve military service in Milan, in a company whose commander, Tennis enthusiast, To give him the opportunity to attend their club and participate in the Milanese tournaments, His assistant had appointed him.

Previously, mostly friendly meetings organized with the nearby cities had been created and participating in the summer tournaments of the mountain, in Veneto, in Trentino and in South Tyrol.

Veronese players reapped victories, they grew in skill and in 1931 The club enrolled for the first time at the Italian Third Category team championships. However, the first full -bodied successes arrived in 1933, with the primacy of Franco Fiorio (single) e Fiorio-Sandrini (double) In the 3rd category championships in Modena. But these absolute were canceled because some players protested at the FIT because, among the members, he appeared crazy, A professional player teaching in Switzerland. The Federation therefore ordered the repetition of the championships in Milan, in which Fiorio were imposed again (6/4 6/2 6/0 the massards) and Fiorio-Sandrini (6/1 6/4 8/6 to Bossi-Scotti). L’At Verona, in May of 1935, He hosted the Italian Championships of 3rd category, thus obtaining a flattering recognition from the FIT.

It was also the year of the prestigious laurels already remembered of Vasco Valerio (Italian title of 2nd cat. in Naples) e di Sandro Sandrini (10° in Venice in the international princess San Faustino). In May of 1936 Sandro Sandrini He was appointed president of AT AT Verona to replace Fedrigoni, who however continued to support the club. Immediately afterwards, the construction of the fourth field was decided by the board in order to meet the increased requests. But while he was working, precisely the 19 August of 1936, The opinion of the Municipality came like a lightning bolt to immediately abandon all the tennis courts, as the Lungadige of the Littorio had to be built between Ponte Garibaldi and Ponte Pietra. President Sandrini, helped by friends Fedrigoni, Valerio, Rizzardi e Milani, they are not lost in mind and managed to obtain a new area for the reconstruction of the fields, That is to say the current of via Col. Galliano. The works by the Municipality, After repeated pressures also by the vice-podestà Filippo Brunetti, they started in the summer of 1937 and were completed in May of 1938, with the blessing ofAbbot of San Zeno. “For the realization of the new location - the latest recalled Sandrini - We dug well 380 earth truck. In fact, in fact we had thought of building the central field at the street level. Then, Back from ~ a tournament played in Merano, Valerio and I thought of collecting it: An abusive operation that allowed us to take advantage of those natural stands that still make this field today one of the most characteristic of Italy.

But since the cost exceeded the estimate, the municipality, punishment, I didn't want to build the changing rooms. He folded up with three wooden cabins requested from the municipal swimming pool ".

In the 1939 The ATV enrolled its team to the "Cup First Tenalal" (3 ”cat championship cat.) and on 108 teams that Veronese composed of Danish, Ferroni, Milani, Segattini e Zambelli, He arrived in the final of Rome, where it was overcome with honor by the TC Parioli.

The Second World War imposed a second, painful setback as fields and furnishings had been destroyed by bombs and therefore stripped of metal fences. In the reconstruction work the new president were found in the front row Vasco Valerio e Sergio Maraia, in the guise of secretary. Together with a group of members they self -esteemed themselves to be able to buy a barrack of the German army to be adapted to bars and changing rooms and the resasted solution up to 1963 When a bond loan signed by members allowed the construction of the current Club House and the changing rooms, inaugurated in 1964, who placed at the Verona at the forefront, From the point of view of tennis structures, among the Venetian circles. In the early post -war years, a young tennis teacher arrived in Verona from Bassano del Grappa, Aniceto Razzetti, who would have left an indelible imprint not only in the history of the circle, but also in that of Veneto tennis by starting entire generations of young people to the competitive practice. “Invitai Razzetti All'Atv 'Precisa Rizzardo Tombetti “As I met him in Bassano in the championship of 3 cat. He also accepted without being able to count on the engagement with the remuneration of the lessons that he would give to the members ". The first important post -war manifestation was organized in May of 1948 and was reserved for the 2nd and category. "Give a tennis tournament immediately after the elections - he wrote"Italian tennis" - It was undoubtedly an act of courage by the organizers of the AT Verona. But evidently the managers do not worry about obstacles and mainly think about tennis propaganda.

The fact is that this tournament was to be the first official act of rebirth of tennis sport in Verona, And it was. On this occasion, the premises have distinguished themselves Sandro Valerio, Dario Criani, Adriano Antici (son of the lady Licia, Brilliant semifinalist of the singular and mixed double), Soften sandra, Maddalena Rossi, Attilio Rossi. All young people who should replace the "vet" Segattini, Danish, Mondadori; fatigue companions of the Facchinetti cup”.

Dal 1948 onwards took hold in Verona also with elements outside the association. Until that year, A single team represented not only Verona, But the whole province in the national championships, And it was that of the ATV the provincial championship of the October saw overall 30 subscribers and was won by Sigma (a pseudonym, privilege that could be obtained by paying 200 read alla), Paola Novello, Danish-Fedrigoni (male) e Merran-goods (mixed). But the bang from the organizational point of view, he scored him Rizzardo Tombetti, at the disposal of the President Valerio, who managed to hire the legendary team of world professionals to Milan for an international performance Kramer, Pails, Riggs e Segura.

Two curious events that distinguished the event: the acceptance of the samples to perceive the 70% of the collections instead of the engagement prize and the fact that, in front of the copious rain, albeit intermittent, You ended up drying the Tribuna camp, unaffected by petrol and then set it on fire. It was the first experiment of the genre in Italy if not in the world. Obviously bad weather kept many spectators away and with around 200 paying the collection was small. They were satisfied ...

Although far from the successes achieved by Vasco Valerio e Sandro Sandrini, The association of the following years achieved excellent successes in the various championships, including the Italian title of 1949 in the 3rd category women's championship "COPPA BELEGARDE”, won by Licia Antici, Paola Novello and the Christians. In 1950s I'Atv boasted about 200 partners and the tips of diamond, In addition to the aforementioned Anici, Novello e Christians, they were Sandro Sandrini, Dino Danese e Marco Cazzola, Attilio Rossi (3A cat.), Gino Molini, Bruno Giuliani, The Beans Carlo e Lamberto Cesari, Delia Oradini. In the meantime, the masters also followed. After Race the various landed Bonetti, By Nicola, Turcaloro, Javons, Bigardi, Fesce, Borgo, Tall, Leoni, Vantini and currently the international coach Panajotti.

The official international baptism took place in 1951 with the meeting between the representatives of theItalia and of the Germania, with interpreters of the caliber of Cum, Good, From cramm e Bukolz. Then, In the 1965, On the occasion of the inauguration of the new Club House, The international was on stage Italy-French.

In the 1967 At Verona asked and obtained the coveted privilege of hosting the meeting of Davis Italia-Austri Cupa, who aroused the living interest of fans, also coming from the neighboring provinces.

The finals of the Italian women's Italian championship and 1st category teams followed (‘68), The 1st category Italian Absolute Italian Championships (‘69), The international team championships "Juniores" valid for the "Valerio Cup” (‘70).

The following years were propitious to the players of the circle both individual and team. We help the various Route, Piubello, Danzi, Sileo, Braggio, The Beans Bertelè, the Old, the Sandrini; All protagonists in the provincial championships and in the circuit "Valerio Cup”, Recognition of the AT AT Verona seamlessly to demonstrate superiority in the various sectors. Countless regional securities "Coletti Cup" Then "Cup cup’, with teams they started Franca Maraja, Mirta briani, Attilio Rossi, Renato Girelli, Cage e Alessandro Sartori, Giorgio Parisi, Marco Fasan, Francesca e Giuseppe degli Albertini, Cleft, Paola Tavella, Francesca e Aldo Briani and others. The tradition of flattering placings in the "was also respectedCOPPA BELEGARDE” (donne) e “Facchinetti cup” (men) thanks to the sisters Bertelè, Bllo, Old, Sandrini, Briani, Of the Albertini, Route, Bertelè, Podestà, Sonino, Lazzari, Rossi, Perinon, Doubles, Sileo, A. e C. Sartori, Parisi. Among other things Sileo, April e Perinon they were repeatedly summoned to blue for international youth encounters. Good results also obtained veterans A. Sartori, Thomas, Picchs, Giaretta, Simeons, Of the Albertini, Podestà. Emanuele Podestà He participated with good placements and two editions of the Senior World Championships.

However, regardless of the dates and characters who followed each other on the fields, It is indisputable that at Verona has signed for 16 The history of the sport of the racket by the Adige.

Today the association, with his 300 effective members, Seven fields (of which one in synthetic also used as the soccer and five with pressurized covers in the winter months), with large and comfortable central building, with offices, bar restaurant, lecture, locker rooms, with independent sauna and swimming pool (All Remarted), It can well boast of constituting one of the most complete and representative circles of Veneto. But it is not only in the availability of these structures that the circle occurs important, as for the important turning point impressed by the most recent leaders (The current Board of Directors is composed of President Gustavo Bussinello, The president to Honorem Alessandro Sartori, Vice President Roberto Vignola and the councilors Alessandro Bonamici, Angela Cascella, Sergio Guidotti, Nicola Fiorini, FABIO CITY E Danilo Valerio) in favor of youth policy. "Of course - said the president to Honorem Sartori - it does not have to remember which and how many" services "have been rendered to this partnership, But perhaps some believe that having been to his guide has consisted in an exercise of mere formal representation and then, our despite, We must remember the continuous application carried out to successfully legitimize our presence on this public land; daily attention to a thousand problems that arise for management, the tension to promote, without affecting the "pockets" of the shareholders, a sporting activity that justifies our existence socially and morally, the constant promotion of our image and supervision so that quality, The tone and educational level expressed by the club have not fallen or do not lend continuity solutions with our tradition ".

“Tennis - continued Sartori - is becoming a sport for" early and maturation times are increasingly shortened for which the board pays particular attention to the SAT schools , which should highlight elements capable of rapidly rising on a technical and athletic level ". Innumerable successes achieved by the bearers of the partnership in the national and international field have reached the end of the words of the president. It is no coincidence that the AT Verona excels for years in Triveneto as regards the national ranking drawn up by FIT.

Report here the names of those who have distinguished themselves is a rather difficult task, But they were definitely Jacopo Tezza, Giulia Meruzzi, Matteo Galli, Alessandro Bonamici, Mara Santangelo, Simone Andreoli the protagonists in his categories of 1997, they have in which they have conquered a team tricolor to teams with the women's Serie C (Merefizz, Santangelo, Avesani and C. Of the Albertini), and eight regional titles including four individuals with Jacopo Tezza, Giulia Meruzzi, Mara Santangelo; four teams.

Even in the activity of the "Over", the ATV has always distinguished itself with excellent results among which the national team title "Over 35" stands out in the 1999 which gave even more prestige to the club thanks to the commitment and skill of Mariano Vantini, Massimo Zampieri , Paolo Scola and Paolo Zamperetti.

Another Italian title has arrived in 2006, With Angelico Moraatelli athletes, Martina Parmigiani, Maria Vittoria Concato and Costanza Zanini who won the championship in the Under category 12 female, In addition to the regional title in the same category. Regional title won in the same year and also subsequently by the athletes Vittorio Chiodoffi, Andrea Sonato, Pietro Zamperetti and Giovanni Colli in the Under category 12 (In the 2006) and in the under category 14 (In the 2007).

The organizational and promotional activity is also intense. After hosting another edition of the Absolute Italian Serie A championships (‘92), won by the Neapolitan Cierro on Valeri in front of a very large audience of the central field, The AT Verona was also assigned the coveted national championships U/ 16 Male in '97, During which his pupil Jacopo Tezza was highlighted in particular, arrived in the semifinal. In the 2008 hosted the 3rd category regional championships, To get to 2009 During which the XXIII edition of the "Luca Donini" Memorial "2nd category Tournament entitled to one of the best athletes of the ATV expert still young in a road accident was held, and the prestigious Mickey Mouse Trophy, National Youth Tournament, In addition to a stage of the Club Italia circuit reserved for the 4th category.

On the promotional level they stand out: The vintage tournament "As we were", The "Tennis in Piazza Brà" event sponsored by the Sport Department of the Municipality of Verona, Free courses for elementary and middle school pupils, In addition to the "commercial" television advertising to spread the teaching activity.

That the 1997 It was a magical year for the circle from the point of view of the results, It can be taken from the "Fit Trophy", The national ranking of year -end circles, drawn up based on the results through the scores made in the various team championships. Well, l’At Verona, For the first time in the history of Veronese tennis, He placed 1st place in Triveneto (On a par with CT Kaltern Bolzano) and 10 ”absolute in the national field.

If we consider that the evaluation was carried out on something like 3.500 circles, some of which are more equipped and rich in competitive traditions, There is the exact measure of the sports event, but which in any case does not properly reflect the potential expressed by their players/tricians, If you consider the unfortunate events that have accompanied two of the Final-Four, Due to accidents and accidents that happened to Jacopo Tezza and Giulia Meruzzi in the start, who prevented the acquisition of those scores that would have placed the club at least among the top five in Italy.

Over the years, the At Verona has participated with one or more teams in various editions of the Absolute Italian Championships of Serie A and B which has allowed and allows you to attend meetings of good technical-agonistic level, that stimulate great motivations to the players of the youth categories, as it happened at the beginning of its history, That, It is always renewed always following the ideal thread of a continuous presence in the sporting life of the city; presence characterized by a style that constantly refers to the civilized costume of its founders.

It is a story that has been interpreted and lived with enthusiasm and passion for all levels of the club, always maintaining the tone of participation in the life of the club at high levels not only from a competitive point of view, But above all for active adhesion to the principles of education and sports culture that have guided their hand to those who directed and directs the fate of the association in these first eighty years of life.