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2024 ITF Annual Review

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Significant funding for this important aspect of growing the game is given every year by the four Grand Slam tournaments via the Grand Slam Player Development Programme (GSPDP), which provided $2.94 million in 2024. The programme is operated by the ITF. Player grants The Grand Slam Player Grant Programme provides financial support for players to increase their interna onal compe on experience and ul mately transi on into the Grand Slam tournaments. In 2024, the GSPDP awarded grants totalling $1.2 million to 51 players represen ng 27 countries. Grants went to 26 female players and 25 male players. Talented girls and women aged 14-21 years, and boys and men aged 15-22 years, are eligible to receive this valuable funding. Individual grants range from $12,500 to $50,000. a grant in 2022, became the first Chinese player to win Olympic singles gold, and Wang Xinyu, a 2020 grant recipient, won a silver medal in mixed doubles. Joao Fonseca, a junior grant recipient from 2023, had a breakthrough professional season in 2024. The Brazilian jumped 582 places up the rankings to end 2024 at No. 145 and con nues to climb in 2025. Touring teams Touring teams give promising junior players the chance to travel to high level tournaments, accompanied by experienced coaches. They are funded by the GSPDP, and the selec on and organisa on of teams is undertaken by the ITF. In 2024, we ran 10 interna onal touring teams featuring 37 players from 20 na ons, and members of these teams reached the quarterfinals or be er on every tour. In the youngest age category, the interna onal 14-and-under team travelled to the USA. Teams for 17-and-unders and 18-and- unders competed in all four junior Grand Slam tournaments, and there was a tour to South America and Mexico/USA. Addi onally, the GSPDP supported three tours to ITF World Tennis Tour men's and women's events to help young players make the transi on to the professional game. We also organised 24 regional touring teams in 2024. These give 14- to 17-year-olds from a par cular region the chance to compete in events outside their region. The largest were the 14-and-under teams to Europe, which featured a total of 43 players from 25 na ons under the guidance of 11 coaches. Regional training Programmes for excellence in two regions are supported by the ITF to ensure talent is nurtured in Africa and the Pacific. Among the grant recipients, 80% improved their ranking during 2024, and four moved into the professional Top 100: Zhuoxuan Bai (CHN), Shang Juncheng (CHN), Mariano Navone (ARG), Thiago Agus n Tirante (ARG) and Bu Yunchaokete (CHN). O o Virtanen (FIN), a 2023 grant recipient, also achieved this important milestone in 2024. Among the 28 juniors awarded grants, Austria's Joel Schwaerzler reached the junior No. 1 ranking during 2024. Two more made history for their countries: Mika Buchnik became the first player from Israel to win a J500 tle a er li ing the Osaka Mayor's Cup, and Reda Bennani was the first Moroccan boy for 20 years to win a junior singles match at Wimbledon. Among GSPDP alumni from previous years, two players from China reached the Olympic podium at Paris 2024. Zheng Qinwen, who received 41

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