'Next level': Young girls play social-distancing tennis on rooftops

Two young girls in Italy took their tennis games to a higher level despite a nation-wide coronavirus lockdown as they staged a remarkable rally from the rooftops of neighbouring buildings.

Taking Roger Federer’s ‘training at home’ trend to another level, the girls in the Ligurian town of Finale Ligure coolly managed a 12-shot rally featuring forehands and backhands during a 24-second video posted on Facebook last Friday by a local tennis club where the two are members.

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Max Oliveri, whose daughter Vittoria is one of the rooftop players along with Carola Pessina, told Reuters he captured the footage because her coach asked players to share video of their training at home.

"It was their idea. They know each other well, they're friends and they live in neighbouring buildings," their coach Dionisio Poggi, told AFP.

"They are not the same age, so they don't train in the same group and don't play in the same category. But they are both strong and play competitively," the coach said.

"Carola, who is 11, is in the top two or three in the region in her age group."

Tracy Austin, a former world number one who built her game on hitting long, retweeted the video.

"This is next level #TennisAtHome! I don't think this can be topped. Keep the ball deep."

Men's world number six Stefanos Tsitsipas was also impressed.

"Really nice to see," tweeted the Greek star.

Naturally, a few balls during the practice session did not make it across and bounced down into a private road below where the girls' fathers put them in plastic bags their daughters had affixed to the end of fishing poles.

The ‘training at home’ trend kick-started by none other than 20-time Grand Slam champ Roger Federer after he challenged fans and celebrities to showcase their routine.

With AFP