The ITF is initiating radical changes at the lower levels of professional tennis: the goal is to facilitate the transition from junior to professional tennis – and reduce the number of players.
The dream of earning a living with tennis is only fulfilled by surprisingly few men and women. This is the conclusion of a study carried out by the ITF between 2001 and 2013. An incredible 14,000 athletes are currently trying their hand at the various levels of professional tennis, less than half of them can live off it.
Apart from that, in recent years it has taken longer for professionals to reach the top of the tennis sport. The transition from junior to men’s tennis is becoming increasingly difficult, and the fact that exceptions such as Alexander Zverev and Dominic Thiem have managed to hold their own at a very young age is outside the norm.
The ITF has reacted to this – and has formulated an ambitious goal: 750 tennis professionals each are to be on the road only on the WTA and ATP tours, but they have the real chance of actually making a living with their profession.
For the entry into the higher levels, the ITF will launch a transition tour as early as 2019. This should actually give young players the opportunity to adapt to the requirements of “adult” tennis. The so-called “Transition Tour” will replace the Category 1 ITF tournaments (which are endowed with 15,000 US dollars). From a financial point of view, a lot has been done over the last two years, and according to ITF, the prize money has increased by about 1.5 million US dollars in 2016 and 2017.
Now the next step is to be taken with the introduction of the Transition Tour. ITF President David Haggerty is aware of the difficulties:”To make the transition between junior and professional tennis easier, radical changes are needed,”says Haggerty. The next step must now be that the structures of tennis sport would be changed in such a way that a smaller group of professionals would result.