Tennis-Playing Wellington Twins Launch Road Trip To All 50 States
Story by Mike May | Photos by Frank Koester
Tennis-playing twin brothers Aiden and Owen Finocchietti of Wellington are having a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Right now, the boys are traveling to all 50 U.S. states with their maternal grandfather, Barry Mabe.
This national excursion is not simply a trip where the goal is to visit all 50 states. They have the added goal to play in a competitive tennis tournament in each state — while also helping to promote the great game of tennis.
According to Mabe, the lessons that both boys will learn from 12 months of travel and competitive tennis will impact them in a positive and profound way for the rest of their lives.
“Tennis has allowed my grandsons to learn a skill, discipline, work ethic and develop lifelong friendships. It even teaches them disappointment, occasional unfairness and sometimes defeat,” Mabe said. “This will represent a remarkable blend of athletic achievement, youth empowerment and family adventure — all while growing the sport of tennis.”
For the trip, they are mostly traveling from state to state in a recreational vehicle (RV), but they will travel by plane to Alaska and Hawaii.
This unique journey has the backing of their parents, Elisha and Gabe Finocchietti.
“I think it’s going to be an awesome experience for Aiden and Owen,” Elisha said. “They have shown no signs of being homesick, but they do miss their paternal grandparents, Nonno and Nana.”
Because Elisha and Gabe work remotely, they will be able to join in for various parts of the trip. “I joined them for the tournament in Georgia and North Carolina,” Elisha noted.
Since Mabe — affectionately referred to as Pap — has agreed to home school the boys on the road, they are able to take such a long and adventuresome national journey. This fall, they will officially be in the fifth grade. Very few fifth graders will get such a unique educational experience as the two Finocchietti brothers will be getting in the coming months.
Even though most students are enjoying time away from school this summer, the tennis twins have been engaged in their home-school studies with their grandfather since they left Wellington.
“My favorite subject is math,” Aiden said.
“My favorite subject is reading,” Owen added.
The cross-country trip started on May 30. They expect to arrive home in late May 2026, soon after visiting their 50th state, which will be Kansas.
In early June, the boys played their first tennis tournament in St. Johns, Florida. As fate would have it, both Aiden and Owen advanced to the final. It was the 24th time that they played one another in an actual tennis tournament. On this occasion, Aiden prevailed, 6-1, 6-2. After 24 matches, they have each won 12 times.
“I was not playing my best that day,” Owen recalled.
Next, they traveled to South Carolina to play in a Universal Tennis Rating (UTR) tournament, where they faced a number of older, more experienced players. Their next tournament was the Georgia Junior Open in Acworth, Georgia. Then they headed to the Southern Open in Asheville, North Carolina, before getting back in the RV and traveling to Keswick, Virginia, for a junior tournament.
On the court, both boys use Head Speed tennis racquets. While Aiden and Owen are talented singles players, they also form a strong doubles team. As recently as April 6, they combined to win the Seminole Lake “Spring Fever” 12U Doubles Level 6 competition.
As Aiden and Owen have reflected on their first few weeks on the road, they agree that the trip has been “way better” than they thought it would be.
Even though they are traveling around the country in an RV, they tend to stay with local families in each tennis tournament city. For the most part, they spend roughly a week in each state.
In addition to playing in tennis tournaments, the boys will be youth tennis ambassadors. According to Mabe, the boys want to promote participation in youth tennis, play in “Little Mo” regional, national and international tennis tournaments to help bring attention to the Maureen Connolly Brinker Tennis Foundation, participate in school assembly programs and promote Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day.
In between tournaments, the boys go fishing, play golf, go hiking, play basketball, play table tennis, visit museums, ride ATVs, visit water parks, and practice their serves, volleys and ground strokes on the tennis court — when not involved in their school studies, of course.
In early June, while in northern Georgia, they enjoyed a South Atlantic League minor league baseball game between the Rome Emperors and the Greensboro Grasshoppers.
“What we do and where we visit is often dependent on where the tennis tournaments are being played,” Mabe explained. “In early July, the boys will enjoy a visit to the U.S. Capitol and to the Bureau of Engraving. I will be playing with Aiden in a grandfather-grandson tennis tournament in Boston in mid-July.”
This national trip will also include a visit to the Library of Congress, Niagara Falls and a number of national parks.
When it comes to their favorite meals while on the road, both boys enjoy international cuisine.
“I really enjoyed the pasta at the Original Vinnie’s Italian restaurant in Asheville, North Carolina,” Aiden said.
“I thought the butter chicken at an Indian restaurant in Asheville was the best meal that I have enjoyed so far,” Owen added.
While the trip will last 12 months, the boys will fly home for brief visits in November and December.
“In November, Owen will be playing with his mother in the annual mother-son tournament at the Wellington Tennis Center,” Mabe said. “And we will return home for a few days at Christmas.”
Throughout the trip, the boys and their grandfather will be posting images to Facebook and Instagram on a regular basis. Since their journey is also designed to promote tennis at the grassroots level and attract young players to the sport, they are accepting donations to help the cause.
To learn more details about this journey by Aiden and Owen Finocchietti alongside their grandfather, visit www.tenniswiththetwins.com.


