Un Ace per la Ricerca 2026
Date of the event:
On 13 November 2026, at Candiolo, Alessandro Del Piero records, together with former tennis players and Sky pundits Renzo Furlan and Raffaella Reggi, a special episode of «Torino Tennis Talks», the daily vodcast produced by Sky Sport with Intesa Sanpaolo during the Nitto ATP Finals. The episode, hosted by Sky Sport's editor-in-chief Federico Ferri, aired on Saturday 14 November 2026 and looked at the link between major sporting events, charity and cancer research.[1]
The «Un Ace per la Ricerca» initiative
The episode accompanied the launch of the new edition of «Un Ace per la Ricerca» (“An Ace for Research”), the initiative through which Intesa Sanpaolo supports the Fondazione Allegra Agnelli per la Ricerca sul Cancro (Allegra Agnelli Cancer Research Foundation). For every ace served during the tournament, Intesa Sanpaolo donates 100 euros, rising to 500 euros in the semi-finals and 1,000 euros in the final, up to a maximum of 100,000 euros.[1]
Funds raised in the 2026 edition are earmarked to equip the Istituto Nazionale Oncologico Candiolo (INOC, Candiolo Cancer Institute) with the xCELLigence system, which allows live cancer cells and their response to treatment to be observed in real time without interrupting the experiment. The project will start with prostate cancer studies, and the technology will be usable by at least ten of the Institute's laboratories.[1]
Statements
Allegra Agnelli, president of the foundation that bears her name, said the bond between Candiolo, Intesa Sanpaolo and tennis has grown into concrete support for researchers' work, and noted that the initiative falls in the foundation's fortieth anniversary. Alessandro Del Piero said he wanted to return to Candiolo to see the facility's growth and to keep promoting research and donations for the Institute.[1]
Previous editions
In previous editions the initiative has helped fund a 3D ultrasound scanner for studying prostate tumours, the Blue Microscope, the design of the new Biobank and the Celloscope. Overall, «Un Ace per la Ricerca» has raised over 445,000 euros, thanks to 1,720 aces served during editions of the Nitto ATP Finals.[1]
Sources
- ATP Finals, Del Piero a Candiolo lancia un ace per la ricerca — TorinoOggi, 13 November 2026