ITF

REVIEW OF THE YEAR BY ITF PRESIDENT FRANCESCO RICCI BITTI REVIEW OF THE YEAR 02 03 Economic conditions remained challenging for the organisation in 2013. Since this was anticipated for the year, a number of measures were undertaken to avoid significant losses by both controlling costs and focussing on new areas of income generation. Despite the challenges, notably in the sponsorship area, if one-off costs of $0.6m associated with the celebration of the ITF's Centenary Year are excluded, the operating result from ongoing activities is a surplus of $0.5m. The value of our investment portfolio again grew by nine per cent. This year was a special one for all of us at the ITF as we celebrated our centenary, 100 years of contribution to tennis. The ITF was founded in Paris in 1913 and we returned to observe that occasion with one of the best Annual General Meetings in history, hosted by the Federation Française de Tennis. The AGM Gala Dinner, a joint effort of the ITF and FFT, was held at the magnificent Château de Versailles and it was perfect. The weather was beautiful, the dinner was outstanding and we were surrounded by our tennis friends from all over the world. One of the top events of our centenary year was the launch of World Tennis Day on 4 March. Two special events, in Hong Kong and New York, staged by StarGames, plus activities in 58 nations around the globe made the first World Tennis Day a huge success and we look forward to this event only becoming bigger and bigger in future years. The launch of our centenary was actually in 2012, at the 100th Davis Cup by BNP Paribas Final. The last official event of the centenary was the Fed Cup by BNP Paribas Final, won by Italy over Russia in Cagliari, Sardinia, and celebrating the 50th birthday of one of the most important team competitions for women in sport. The last official event of the year saw the Czechs successfully defend their title in Davis Cup by BNP Paribas by defeating Serbia in Belgrade with the tie, for the second year in a row, going down to the fifth rubber. Every year produces heroes and 2013 was no exception. The men's game saw three different Grand Slam champions in Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and, very emotionally, Andy Murray at Wimbledon. Novak was the most consistent player at the Slams and that, plus his performance in Davis Cup, repeating as winner of the ATP World Tour Finals and winning three Masters series events made him the ITF World Champion for the second consecutive year. Rafa was one of the good news stories of the year, making an impressive comeback from injury, winning two Slams and ending the year at No.1. All of Britain rejoiced as Andy ended a 77-year drought for Great Britain to win their first Wimbledon title since Fred Perry in 1936. Even though Victoria Azarenka and Marion Bartoli both won Grand Slam titles, all the talk in women's tennis in 2013 was about Serena Williams. The American superstar won the French and the US Open and added nine other titles to raise her career total to 57. She finished the year at No.1 and is the ITF Women's World Champion again in 2013. It was a great, although perhaps bittersweet year, for Bob and Mike Bryan who dominated men's doubles in 2013. Two matches short of a calendar Grand Slam in doubles, they also lost both of their Davis Cup matches last year, to Brazil and to Serbia. Winners at the Australian Open, Roland Garros and Wimbledon, they won a total of 11 titles. Their success in 2013 merits them the title of ITF Men's Doubles World Champions for a record tenth time. Even though Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci did not perhaps have the "career" year they produced last year, 2013 saw another solid performance from the Italian pair who are also successful singles players. Winning the Australian Open and anchoring their team to the Fed Cup by BNP Paribas title, Errani/ Vinci won three titles and finished the year ranked No.1 in doubles. For the second year in a row they are ITF Women's Doubles World Champions. Shingo Kunieda finished the wheelchair season as world No.1 and is ITF Wheelchair World Champion for the fifth time. In addition to winning the NEC Wheelchair Tennis Masters singles title, he also won the Australian Open singles and reached the finals at Roland Garros and the US Open. In the first full year without Esther Vergeer, her compatriot Aniek van Koot won two Grand Slam titles and finished atop the Wheelchair Tennis Rankings. She is the ITF Wheelchair World Champion for the first time. This year was a special one for all of us at the ITF as we celebrated our centenary, 100 years of contribution to tennis. 100 50 Years of the ITF Years of Fed Cup (Continued overleaf )

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