ROME — Tyra Caterina Grant grew up taking part in and dwelling on the similar tennis academy in northern Italy that Jannik Sinner attended earlier than he went on to turn into No. 1.
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So maybe it feels pure that the 17-year-old Grant, a three-time junior Grand Slam doubles champion, will attempt to comply with in Sinner’s footsteps once more after asserting that she has switched nationalities from the US and can signify Italy for her promising skilled profession.
Grant’s father is American basketball participant Tyrone Grant, who spent most of his professional profession in Italy. Her Italian mom, Cinzia Giovinco, taught her to play tennis. She grew up in Vigevano, a city close to Milan, and may swap between fluent Italian and English from one sentence to the following.
“I switched to Italy because I feel mostly Italian even though I’m half and half,” Grant mentioned upon arriving in Rome, the place she’s been given a wild card to play the Italian Open. “I’m more connected to the Italian part because I was born here and I grew up here and my friends are here. I feel more connected to the Italian culture and I feel more at home here.”
Grant educated at Riccardo Piatti’s academy in Bordighera from age seven to 14 earlier than she moved to Orlando, Florida.
Sinner, who’s 6½ years older than Grant, was already one in all Piatti’s star pupils when she arrived.
“Growing up with Jannik was great,” Grant mentioned. “He was I think around 14 when we first met and I was a little younger so obviously it was kind of an age gap, but in Bordighera we were all just like a big family so it was lovely.”
Whereas Grant is ranked No. 335 by the WTA Tour, she is No. 6 within the Worldwide Tennis Federation’s junior rankings.
Grant additionally reached the semifinals of the junior singles event finally yr’s French Open; and acquired to the semifinals of the senior blended doubles competitors on the U.S. Open with American associate Aleksandar Kovacevic. Grant and Kovacevic have been crushed by eventual champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori of Italy.
Coco Gauff, the 2023 U.S. Open champion, acquired to know Grant a bit when she was among the many juniors introduced in to observe with the U.S. nationwide staff.
“I’ve actually never watched her play,” Gauff mentioned. “Based off the results, what I see her doing in juniors, obviously she has a lot of potential. I just never sat there and watched a match. I will now that she’s playing on the same level. I’ll try to get ready. Probably going to play each other sooner than later.”
Gauff and Grant have been friends of honor on the Italian Open draw on the Trevi Fountain on Monday.
“If I had a cool option like Italy — I think they’re a great place to represent — I might do the same,” Gauff mentioned, earlier than shortly including, “I love being American, too.
“When I see her interacting with Italians here, I’m like, ‘OK, yeah, I see why she made the change,’” Gauff mentioned.
Italy has just one girl within the prime 50 of the WTA rankings with Jasmine Paolini at No. 5.
Gauff, who’s No. 3, leads a bunch of 10 Individuals within the prime 50.
So Grant may probably entice extra consideration in Italy than within the U.S.
“Obviously the U.S. is bigger and probably has more female players but I was one of the top players there so it’s not much of a difference,” she mentioned.
Whereas Grant is commonly referred to by solely her first identify, her official bio on the WTA web site lists her as Tyra Caterina Grant.
So how does she like being referred to?
“Caterina is my second name and it’s my grandma’s name, so it’s nice to hear Caterina,” she mentioned. “But everyone calls me Tyra, so I don’t mind really.”
Grant will face a qualifier in her opening singles match in Rome. She additionally certified for the doubles draw by profitable the pre-qualifying event with associate Lisa Pigato.
“I’m hoping to have a lot of support here,” Grant mentioned. “I have a lot of friends who have told me they want to come see me play.”
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