ITF

ITFWORLD SUMMER 2017 11 www.itftennis.com tournaments since the start, and the new grants are more good news. "I would like to thank the Grand Slam tournaments for their long-term leadership, commitment and support which has been invaluable to tennis development throughout the world," said ITF President David Haggerty. Many players have received GSDF assistance on their path to the Top 100. Among them are four Grand Slam singles champions: Victoria Azarenka, Gustavo Kuerten, Li Na and, now, Jelena Ostapenko. The newly-crowned Roland Garros champion received support from the GSDF as a member of several junior touring teams and as a recipient of GSDF travel grants. Her breakthrough at the very top of the game will no doubt inspire all those players who dream of doing the same. This year's ITF/GSDF Touring Team ahead of Wimbledon, with coaches Roberta Burzagli and Ivan Molina. Left to right: Daniela Vismane, Maria Camila Osorio Serrano, Naho Sato, Uisung Park, Alan Fernando Rubio Ferres and Yu Hsiou Hsu Sabina Sharipova reached a career-high ranking of 137 in February Sweden's Rebecca Peterson tournament grants to help establish junior and professional circuits, and for facility grants to nations looking to upgrade their tennis infrastructure. The GSDF also assists promising players directly through touring teams and travel grants, so that they can compete internationally. The International GSDF College Teams are a new initiative in 2017. These teams support aspiring professionals currently attending US colleges. Six players have been selected in 2017 on the basis of their Intercollegiate Tennis Association and ATP/WTA ranking, and they are being funded to attend a training camp then compete across the United States in selected ITF Pro Circuit tournaments. The ITF has administered the GSDF programme on behalf of the Grand Slam 2016 Australian Open boys runner-up Jurabek Karimov Duckhee Lee now plays at Challenger level

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