Sport and the Local Community: Bocconi at the Avvenire Tournament
A glance at the Hall of Fame of the tournament, now in its 59th year, is enough to give any tennis enthusiast goosebumps — from Bjorn Borg, Ivan Lendl, Stefan Edberg and Goran Ivanisevic among the men, to Maria Sharapova, Martina Hingis, Conchita Martinez and Jelena Ostapenko among the women. The list reads like a roll call of Grand Slam champions, with many more famous names who went on to make tennis history without winning, including Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Adriano Panatta. Organized by the historic Tennis Club Ambrosiano, the Avvenire Tournament is the junior equivalent of a Grand Slam reserved for Under-14 players since 2025 (previously for Under-16). It is one of the most important events in world junior tennis, and this year — in the context of sPark of Change, the Bocconi project that explores the Olympic and Paralympic Games as an economic, social and cultural phenomenon — the University wanted to be a part of it, too.
The NCAA, Another Way to Play Pro Tennis
It did so with two talks, the first given by Ana Jelena Vujosevic — current Tennis Team Manager at Bocconi Sport (student athletes Alice Agazzi and Tommaso Lucattini were also there) and former player on the verge of turning pro. She was No. 2 in Montenegro’s Under-18 rankings, and was a standout student athlete in the United States. She played in the National Collegiate Athletic Association, known as the NCAA — the governing body for US college sports. “When it comes to tennis, many athletes have the technical and physical attributes to succeed; what makes the difference is mental strength — the unwavering determination that pushes you to devote 100% of your time to that one goal. I was lacking something in that regard,” says Vujosevic. That is why having a plan B is important, a sort of safety net in the form of an academic degree, just in case one’s athletic career fails to live up to expectations. As the Avvenire Hall of Fame shows, some players never achieved wider recognition and some went on to become household names. Another option is the NCAA route, which can serve as a transitional stage before turning pro. Russian player Diana Shnaider, a recent Roland Garros semifinalist, is a case in point.
Sport and Local Impact: How and, More Importantly, What Should We Measure?
Antonio Palmieri delivered the second talk, focusing on the economic impact of sports events on the local area. Palmieri is a SDA Fellow of Competitive Strategy at SDA Bocconi School of Management, and also a member of the Sport and Entertainment Knowledge Center. He says, “Sporting events — whether major competitions such as the Olympics and Paralympics, or smaller-scale events — have positive effects on the local communities where they are held, and it is important to measure this impact.” “The social repercussions are particularly significant; wheelchair tennis and blind tennis come to mind,” he continues. “Both will be featured in exhibition matches as part of the Avvenire tournament’s line-up. When a sports event brings a positive social impact, it helps create a better society.”