Today, five years ago Casper Fernandez student and athlete at Emilio Sanchez Academy left us at just 16 years old in July 2017. He was a young, energetic tennis player ready to take on the world. He was passionate about everything he did, and most of all he loved his sport, tennis. Casper got into our hearts, and that is why, to this day, he is still such a big part of our Academy, we want to remember him forever.
In honor of his great talent and fighting spirit, we want to again announce the Casper Tour, a circuit recognized by the ATP, which will bring together players between 9 and 14 years old. The Emilio Sanchez Foundation promotes this Tour with the aim of giving opportunities to children to compete through sport, in order to raise funds and dedicate them to projects for the research of pediatric bone cancer, the same that Casper suffered. In addition, part of the proceeds will go towards sports scholarships to give tennis and life opportunities to young people.
Casper is an inspiration to children who are struggling as he did, and to all of us. He had a great aspiration to be able to play tennis and be a reference, and we want to make that dream come true. He demonstrated during the last months of his illness the love and passion he had for tennis, he showed the desire to become a great player with an exemplary attitude and being a role model on and off the courts. The Casper Tour is the starting point of our tribute towards him.
The Circuit was born in 2018 with the development of different tests at the national and international levels. This one started first playing in China and then in New York, passing through Barcelona, and ending in Madrid, Valencia, Atlanta, Florida, and finally Marbella. This year, it will be held in different locations organized by prestigious clubs. We are currently trying to link the tournament with schools and clubs so that it can reach many more people and school children.
The Tour wants to transmit sports and social objectives. As for the sports project, we want to achieve the building of more tennis schools that promote sport and tennis from the initiation, and in parallel with opening schools for young players undergoing cancer treatment. On the other hand, the main priority of the circuit is the formative aspect above the sporting one. We want to work with values such as effort, positive attitude, and above all, respect, to become an example on and off the court.
“Casper will remain in our hearts, his legacy will last forever with us along with his fighting spirit and his passion for the sport.”
