Sergio Tacchini became a professional tennis player at the age of 17. In 1966, Sergio Tacchini founded Sandys S.p.A. which was to be renamed after him a few years later. The initial idea was to experiment with colours and fabrics in order to create elegant and stylish tenniswear. Many athletes have joined the Sergio Tacchini brand over the years. Most of them are well-known tennis players from the 1970s and 1980s such as John McEnroe, Martina Navratilova, Pete Sampras, Martina Hingis and Goran Ivaniševiæ when he won the Wimbledon title. The firm has also sponsored the Formula 1 driver Ayrton Senna.

• Sergio Tacchini