Issue link: http://itf.uberflip.com/i/560492
6 ITFWORLD SUMMER 2015 an interview with FRANCESCO RICCI BITTI As Francesco Ricci Bitti prepares to step down after 16 years as ITF President, he speaks to ITFWorld about what has been achieved in his time in charge of tennis's world governing body. Y ou are coming to the end of your presidency. Do you have a reason for stepping down? Sixteen years is a long time and, while I have enjoyed my role as President of the ITF very much, I know it is time to move on. While I will miss many things, I am also looking forward to some new challenges, mostly in my Olympic capacity. I was a tennis volunteer for most of my adult life before becoming ITF President in 1999. It was a pleasure to make time in my schedule to serve on behalf of the sport that I love, so you can imagine what an honour it was to be elected President of the ITF. One of the true privileges of my role is the opportunity to meet and work with extraordinary people from players to heads of state, far too many to mention by name, plus, of course, our team here at Roehampton. I was also very fortunate that my presidency coincided with a golden era in tennis with outstanding players like Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Maria Sharapova and so many others gracing the courts. The ITF has also been blessed with long- term sponsors with whom we have built wonderful relationships — BNP Paribas, of course; Rolex, Adecco, NEC, UNIQLO, beIN Sports and some long-term sponsors who are not with us today but who contributed greatly to our success — companies like Hugo Boss, Opel and Wilson. While there have been many challenges over the years, there have also been so many rewards like the success of tennis in the Olympic Games, outstanding Davis Cup and Fed Cup finals, the growth of the junior game, wheelchair tennis and beach tennis. I am now a Super-Senior myself so seeing how this discipline has improved for the better gives me a sense of pride, as does the important work done each and every year by our Development department. I have continued to learn, becoming a bit of an expert on anti-doping and anti-corruption and well informed on the technical advances in our sport and in communication, from the web to social media. It has been a satisfying 16 years but I think it is time to hand over to the new President who will, I am sure, take things to another level. Our new governance rules, passed by the AGM in 2014, limit the presidential term to 12 years and I think that is about right. For myself, I am back to volunteering, this time primarily for the Olympics, but tennis will always be my first love. What do you think is your legacy at the ITF, and what achievement are you most proud of? There are many areas where I think we have made relevant progress at the ITF. To fulfil my role effectively, I have made it a point to pay attention to all of the main tasks of an international federation: governing, developing and organising. It has greatly helped to have the security of our substantial financial reserves which has given the ITF enormous stability over the years and the ability to act when necessary without reference to budget. The ITF has also modernised becoming more universal, service-oriented and efficient. We have made big strides in areas like the IPIN which has revolutionised the tournament entry procedure for players at all levels, and we have efficiently upgraded and used our databases to run everything from our websites and social media to tournament organisation. I also take great satisfaction in seeing the growing importance of the Olympic Tennis Event. When I took over in 1999, there were still many people, inside the sport and out, who said tennis didn't belong in the Olympics. We expected that it would take a long time to change that view but, certainly since Beijing, we have seen a real change in how the players, the media and the fans regard Olympic tennis. Tennis is a very respected sport within the Olympic movement and this is something I am proud of. I was fortunate enough to be the first ITF President to be elected as a member of the IOC and that gave me the access to help sell the concept that, while the Olympics is important to tennis, the reverse is also true: tennis is very important to the Olympics. francesco ricci bitti Rafael Nadal wins gold at the Beijing 2008 Olympics