In a heartfelt message, rising star Tyra Grant has finally broken her silence after her much-discussed decision to switch national allegiances from the United States to Italy. The 17-year-old, who has already made waves with three junior Grand Slam doubles titles, shared a personal and emotional message thanking USTA and confirming the change ahead of her highly anticipated appearance at the 2025 Italian Open in Rome.
Tyra Grant Offers Sincere Gratitude to the USTA for Their Unwavering Support Over the Years
Born in the Italian capital in 2008, Grant has long straddled two identities: American by family heritage, and Italian by birth and upbringing. Her father, former pro basketball player Tyrone Grant, is American, while her mother, Cinzia Giovinco, is a former Italian model.
Though she initially trained in Italy at the renowned Piatti Academy—where Italian sensation Jannik Sinner also honed his craft—Grant moved to Florida to develop her game at the USTA National Campus in Orlando.
She represented the United States throughout her junior career, making a name for herself with victories at the 2023 French Open, 2024 Australian Open, and Wimbledon in junior doubles. But now, she’ll don the Italian colors as she steps into her pro career more fully.
To announce this transition, Grant shared an emotional Instagram post thanking both the United States Tennis Association (USTA) and the Italian federation. She began by expressing heartfelt gratitude to the USTA for the opportunities, guidance, and support they provided throughout her developmental years.
“I’d love to start by saying thank you. Thank you USTA for all the great chances, all the support and all the guidance you’ve given me, not only when I stayed there but really even before,” she wrote.
MORE: Rising American Tennis Star Drops USA To Represent Italy
She explained her decision to represent Italy was driven by her strong connection to the country where she was born and raised. She expressed gratitude to the FITP and President Angelo Binaghi for welcoming her and giving her the chance to compete for the Azzurri, calling it the start of an exciting new chapter.
“I would also like to start with an early thank you to the FITP. My choice to represent Italy comes from the strong connection I have with this country since I was born and grew up here. I really appreciate how the federation coaches already welcomed me with open arms, and I want to use the occasion to thank the federation for the chance they are giving me to play the Internazionali BNL di Roma, played where I was born,” she added.
“I can’t wait to start this project with the Italian federation. I’m extremely grateful to President Binaghi and the Italian federation for this amazing chance to represent Italy and be part of the Azzurri,” she continued.
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Grant shared the emotional announcement on her official Instagram account just days before the start of the Italian Open, which runs from May 6 to May 18 at the Foro Italico. Previously this season, she played at the 2025 Miami Open and the Madrid Open. At the latter, she notched a 6-3, 6-3 win over Tatjana Maria in the qualifiers before falling to Aliaksandra Sasnovich.
