Support for juniors at ITF/WTA/ATP-led education session at US Open
While on-court development, silverware and ranking points are at the forefront of minds, the game’s rising stars have also benefitted from the latest ITF/WTA/ATP-led education session at the US Open.
The session featured a highly-informative section on hydration and nutrition before an enjoyable Q&A with professional duo Robert Farah and Anna Tatishvili.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency’s (ITIA) education team were also on-site, talking to players about how the organisation works to promote, encourage and safeguard the integrity of professional tennis worldwide.
The ITIA delivered interactive classes, highlighting the off-court requirements of being a tennis player, their responsibilities in adhering to the rules and the support available to them when navigating any challenges they encounter.
The premise of the ITF/WTA/ATP sessions at Junior Grand Slams are to re-ignite in-person education opportunities for elite competitors on the player pathway.
Emphasis is very much placed on the person behind the player, making sure they have the off-court support and knowledge to enjoy the sport they love and have the best possible career within the game.
The session at the US Open was the second of its kind, with previous editions taking place at J1 Roehampton – the traditional warm-up event for the Junior Championships, Wimbledon.
The Roehampton instalment, which took place in June, focused upon a wide range of topics such as mental health, dealing with stress and pressure, internet safety and guarding against abuse.
There were keynote addresses and interactive presentations from Kathy Martin, Senior Director of Mental Health and Wellness at the WTA, and Gary Bye, the ITF’s Safeguarding Manager. Then came an engaging Q&A with Canada’s Gabriela Dabrowski and Nicole Pratt of Australia.
In short, such sessions are the product of key tennis stakeholder alignment, ensuring collaboration as an individual progresses along the pathway, especially during that key transition from a junior to a professional. Going forward, further session of this nature are planned.