Issue link: http://itf.uberflip.com/i/1169625
4 • ITF Global Tennis Report 2019 It is my very great pleasure to introduce the ITF Global Tennis Report 2019, the largest survey of worldwide tennis par cipa on and performance ever undertaken by the ITF. This report is unique in its scale and findings, and the start of a new journey that we are embarking on with our member na ons to learn more about the tennis landscape than we ever have before. I am delighted to say that we now es mate that 87 million people – 1.17% of the world's popula on – play tennis and therefore share our enthusiasm for a sport that really is for everyone, for life. There are so many other fascina ng insights within these pages which give us a new view of the state of the game at a na onal, regional and global level. When the ITF launched the ITF2024 strategy three years ago, we placed development at the centre of our vision for tennis. Without new players from all parts of the world, either enjoying our sport recrea onally or compe ng at the highest level, tennis will not thrive today or in the future. One of the central aims of the ITF's 2017-2020 Development Strategy is to increase global par cipa on in tennis for all ages, genders, playing standards and physical abili es. The other core objec ve for us is to develop talented players, par cularly those from na ons that are both under- resourced and under-represented. To achieve both those things, we need data so that we can set clear goals. With support from our Na onal Associa ons in compiling this report, we now have that data. Be er s ll, we have harnessed new technologies which mean that we will be able to update the survey on a regular basis, thus building a valuable picture of changes in the tennis landscape over me. So, although publishing the ITF Global Tennis Report 2019 marks the end of the process of colla ng the data and making it available publicly, in many ways it is just the beginning. And for the present, we have a renewed focus as we con nue to develop the sport we all love. My sincere thanks go to everyone involved in crea ng this report. I hope you find it interes ng reading. Foreword by David Haggerty ITF President " This report is unique in its scale and findings, and the start of a new journey that we are embarking on with our member na ons to learn more about the tennis landscape than we ever have before."