10,000 players by 2028: Turkmenistan and its quest to develop tennis
It may have been an off-the-cuff remark but the suggestion of ITF President David Haggerty that Turkmenistan should have 10,000 active tennis players by 2028 has captured the mood.
The target was set during Haggerty’s recent visit to the Central Asian nation where he met with Turkmenistan President Serdar Berdimuhamedov to discuss the development of tennis and future objectives.
“The ITF’s mission is to grow tennis in every region of the world and ensure the sport’s development is sustainable for future generations,” said ITF President David Haggerty.
“The connectivity of sport is vitally important and it was key to explore the level of government support available to the Turkmenistan Tennis Federation as they continue their quest to grow tennis across Turkmenistan."
ITF President David Haggerty with Turkmenistan President Serdar Berdimuhamedov
Turkmenistan may not be a big tennis-playing nation but there are plans afloat to ensure the country plays its part in the global development of the sport.
An ITF member nation since 1993, Turkmenistan has previously hosted entry-level ITF junior tournaments, most recently in 2016, and the Central Asia 12-and-under team competition in 2023.
Following a visit to Turkmenistan’s Olympic Tennis Centre in Ashgabat, Haggerty met with Nurmuhammet Amannepesov, Turkmenistan's Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers for Science, Education, Health and Sports, and targets were set.
Talks centred on Turkmenistan hosting a series of ITF World Tennis Tour events (Men's, Women's and Juniors) and the need for government support, and the plans of the Turkmenistan Tennis Federation to host a national tennis festival in June.
“This is a really exciting time for the Turkmenistan Tennis Federation and for tennis within Turkmenistan generally,” said Amir Borghei, the ITF’s Development Officer for West and Central Asia.
“Led by President Eziz Dovletov, the Turkmenistan Tennis Federation has implemented several successful projects in recent years with support from the ITF and the Asian Tennis Federation.
“The total population of tennis players has increased considerably as a result of improvements within coach education systems, the successful implementation of the ITF Junior Tennis Initiative and the organisation of several national tournaments and events.
“There is an ambition within Turkmenistan, however, to take this further and to grow the sport as much as possible in the coming years.”
Asian Tennis Federation (ATF) President Yuriy Polsky was also present during Haggerty's visit and talked about the potential for Turkmenistan housing a regional training centre, as well as hosting ATF junior events.
Borghei was also on hand to run through the 2024-2028 National Tennis Development Strategic Plan for the Turkmenistan Tennis Federation, with further work on this taking place in the coming weeks before its implemented.