Issue link: http://itf.uberflip.com/i/366594
ITFWORLD SUMMER 2014 1 www.itftennis.com Front cover photography by Paul Zimmer. EDITOR Joanne Burnham CONTRIBUTORS Chris Bowers is a freelance writer and broadcaster who has covered the global tennis circuit since 1992. He is executive director of the Tennis Radio Network, and the author of several tennis books, including the ITF's centenary book and most recently The Sporting Statesman about Novak Djokovic and Serbia. stuart Fraser is a freelance sports journalist who has covered tennis for a number of different media outlets in the UK including the Daily Mail, The Sun and BBC Radio Scotland. He was a reporter for the London 2012 Olympic News Service at Wimbledon. sandra Harwitt is a freelance journalist covering tennis and other sports for over 25 years and is a regular contributor to Associated Press, The Miami Herald and a co-owner of TenniShorts.com. Paul Newman is tennis correspondent for The Independent, The Independent on Sunday and I newspapers in the UK. ed Pearson is Project Leader, Digital Services at the ITF and is responsible for all of the company's websites and social media properties. Clive White is a former tennis correspondent of Britain's The Sunday Telegraph and was Team Leader for the London 2012 Olympic News Service at Wimbledon. He regularly writes for DavisCup.com and FedCup.com. phOTO CREDITS Hedeson Alves, Jake Badger, Mathilde Dusol, Gillian Elliott, Fresh Focus, FREY-AMN Images, Ray Giubilo, Juergen Hasenkopf/Jochen Korner, Alireza Karami/OPT Sport, Sergio Llamera, A. Martinez/MMO, Fred and Susan Mullane, Maria T. Orro, Gregory Picout, Takeo Tanuma, Lilyana Vinogradova, Steve Wylie, Kate Whitney Lucey, Paul Zimmer. DESIGN AND pRODUCTION Clarus · www.clarus-design.com ITFWorld is published by ITF Ltd, PO Box N-272, Nassau, Bahamas. All rights reserved throughout the world. No part of ITFWorld may be reproduced without the prior written permission of the publisher. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher. The publishers accept no responsibility for return of manuscripts, photos or artwork, but if you send material you must include an SAE. Whilst we make every effort to ensure that all editorial material is factually correct at the time of going to press, we cannot accept responsibility if any errors occur and for matters arising as a result. Views expressed in ITFWorld do not necessarily reflect official ITF policy. It should not be inferred that products advertised in this magazine are officially approved by the ITF. © 2014 ITF Ltd. Please address all correspondence regarding ITFWorld to Joanne Burnham, ITF Communications Department, ITF Licensing UK Ltd, Bank Lane, Roehampton, London SW15 5XZ, UK. email: joanne.burnham@itftennis.com IN THIS ISSUE 2 WELCOME MESSAGE From ITF President Francesco Ricci Bitti. 4 INSIDE OUT: JAPAN Japanese tennis is on the up, with the nation hitting several new milestones in the sport this year. Chris Bowers investigates the causes and effects of this success in the country hosting the 2020 Olympics. 9 UNIQLO SPONSORS WHEELCHAIR TENNIS The Japanese clothing retailer signed on as a major sponsor of wheelchair tennis in June. 10 PROUD TO SHARE Stuart Fraser introduces us to some of the stalwarts of Davis Cup by BNP Paribas in Groups III and IV, men who represent their countries again and again and have assured their places in the competition's record books. 14 JTI WORkSHOPS MAkE AN IMPACT A look at the workshops carried out as part of the ITF Junior Tennis Initiative. 15 HONOUR FOR bALTACHA AT FED CUP DRAW The late Elena Baltacha was remembered with a special award at the draw for the 2015 Fed Cup by BNP Paribas. 16 EXPERIENCE RULES Despite all the talk of a new generation emerging, the old guard still held sway at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, says Paul Newman, as all the singles titles were claimed by previous champions. 22 FANTASTIC FOUR Four different teenagers scooped the major prizes in Paris and London to become first-time junior Grand Slam champions. Sandra Harwitt was there. 26 A TOAST TO DOUbLES Clive White reports on the ITF World Champions Dinner, where the art of doubles was centre stage as Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde received the Philippe Chatrier Award. 28 RAISING THE DIGITAL GAME DavisCup.com and FedCup.com are bursting with new and exciting content aimed at getting fans involved, and there are new ways to support your team on social media, says Ed Pearson. 30 NEWS ROUND-UP ITF stories from the middle months of 2014. 32 LOOkING AHEAD The remainder of the year's events. CONTeNTs SUMMER 2014 THE INTERNATIONAL TENNIS FEDERATION'S OFFICIAL MAGAZINE 55 4 22 16 10 26