USTA National Campus receives ITF Gold Level status

The International Tennis Federation has awarded Gold Level status to the United States Tennis Association’s National Campus in Orlando, Florida, the second National Tennis Centre to receive the award.

The 64-acre venue near Lake Nona is home to 100 floodlit courts – 84 of which offer live streaming, including its two championship courts – as well as the USTA Player Development National Training Headquarters.

The facility caters for all levels of players and coaches ranging from red, orange and green-ball programmes through to national and internationally-ranked juniors, college players and professionals, who have access to world-class gym facilities, Italy-imported clay courts, and 26 smart courts to provide data on performance for discussion with the USTA’s analytics experts.

“We are thrilled to receive this recognition from the ITF that affirms the USTA National Campus is one of the preeminent tennis facilities in the world,” said USTA National Campus General Manager Tim Cass.

“For the past three-and-a-half years, the campus has been delivering a one-of-a-kind tennis experience across every level of the sport that ultimately helps us work towards the USTA mission of growing the game of tennis in the U.S.”

As well as its many regional and national tournaments, the venue has also played host to ITF World Tennis Tour events, the Junior Davis Cup and Fed Cup by BNP Paribas Finals, and the NEC Wheelchair Singles Masters and UNIQLO Wheelchair Doubles Masters.

“Congratulations on achieving Gold Status for the USTA National Campus,” ITF President David Haggerty wrote in recognition of the achievement. “It is well deserved and sets a standard for all nations to aspire to.”

In 2018, the ITF and several leading tennis nations established the criteria and minimum standards for NTCs to ensure quality standards worldwide. ITF recognition is based on a series of criteria and minimum standards at Gold, Silver and Bronze levels.

Applicant nations are required to provide documentary evidence and have their NTC undergo an inspection to show that systems and procedures are in place in five key areas – facilities and equipment, management, coaching team, sports science and medicine, and player programmes.

The programme also presents a unique opportunity for the Tennis Integrity Unit to integrate a nine-point set of Integrity standards and best practice polices for NTCs to adopt. These criteria are designed to support NTCs in creating the right environment for developing individuals, with an emphasis on informing and educating players, coaches and staff.

The USTA National Campus is the second NTC to receive Gold Level status after the French Tennis Federation's national training centre in Paris. The Colombian Tennis Federation’s National Training Centre was awarded Silver Level status earlier this year.

For those developing nations who aspire to achieve such recognition, the ITF offers help in the form of Facility Grants, visits from Development Officers and ITF experts, and the provision of ITF-approved materials on the running of an NTC and effective programmes.

Further information on how the ITF is growing the game and ITF recognition of National Training Centres is available by clicking here.