Meet the ITF World Tennis Tour Player Panel: Ti Chen

Last month, the ITF announced the players elected to the newly-created ITF World Tennis Tour Player Panel. The members will sit on the Panel until the end of the 2021 season and for two-year terms thereafter.

We spoke to all the players on both the men's tennis and women's tennis panels, to find out about their tennis careers to date and their hopes for what they can achieve during their time as panel members. On the men's tennis panel, we have already heard from Aldin Setkic, Niki Kaliyanda Poonacha, Francesco Vilardo and Jose Bendeck.

This time, we hear from Ti Chen, a 36-year-old player from Chinese Taipei. Chen has competed on the professional tour since 2001, winning 23 singles and 28 doubles titles. He is a former Top 200 player in both singles and doubles, reaching career-high ATP rankings of No. 184 in singles in September 2015 and No. 119 in doubles in July 2014. He represented Chinese Taipei in Davis Cup from 2003 to 2018, competing in 24 ties. Here's what he had to say...

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I have really enjoyed my time on the tour over the years. From 2003 to 2018, I represented my country in Davis Cup and there were lots of very special moments for me in Davis Cup. I also played in the Asian Games every four years – and I have played at five Games, so I’m the player who has played that event the most times. In 2010, we won a gold medal, so that was very meaningful for me too.

I achieved my best rankings of No. 184 in singles (in 2015) and No. 119 in doubles (in 2014). I’m really proud of this – it’s something amazing, because the Tour is very difficult. I’ve worked really hard but also enjoyed it. I remember one year I played 43 tournaments so I have sometimes played every week during the season. I appreciate my time on the tour and all the great memories it has given me.

For me, tennis is something in my heart. I gave my best to it and tennis is my life. Two years ago, I got married and had a kid, and have played a bit less often. But I still always talk with my friends on the tour about tennis, what it was like for us and what more we might be able to do.

I’ve also spoken to our tennis federation in our country, to see what we can do to help kids playing now, and have been involved in some of their programmes. When the chance to be on the ITF World Tennis Tour Player Panel came, I thought ‘why not?’ I have a lot of experience, and maybe I can do something for the younger generations. Hopefully I can do help the players and that’s the reason I’m pleased to be on the panel.

I think it’s really important to build bridges between the ITF, ATP, WTA and the players. Both the federations and the players lose when something goes wrong. It’s hard to make everything perfect, but for me, it’s important to think of both sides. This group can give some suggestions that perhaps the ITF may not have thought about. I think communication is very important and hopefully we can make it better for everyone.