'Development milestone': Mauritius and its drive to grow tennis
Mauritius may be better known for its sandy beaches, coral reefs and as a destination for newlyweds, but it is also proving itself to be a frontrunner in global tennis development.
“Despite being an island nation, Mauritius has the capacity to become a trailblazer in African tennis, having laid a foundation to increase the number of tennis players and to develop better players,” said Tapiwa Masunga, the ITF’s Development Officer for Southern Africa.
This follows the nation’s National Training Centre (NTC) at Petit Camp in Vacoas-Phoenix being awarded White Level status by the ITF through its National Training Centre Recognition Programme in 2024.
The ITF recognises a member nation’s NTC as being at either Gold, Silver, Bronze or White level with the belief that such accreditation will elevate standards across the board and help the sport of tennis grow and prosper.
Earlier this month, itftennis.com revealed that 22 nations across the world now have facilities recognised through the programme, up from just seven – France, USA, Great Britain, Colombia, Lithuania, Hong Kong and Qatar – at the end of 2023.
The ITF’s aim is for this figure to continue rising, and for the standard of facilities to continue improving in every corner of the world, ensuring a global footprint when it comes to facilities, coaching and training.
Tennis has been developing steadily in Mauritius in recent years and the Mauritius Tennis Federation (MTF) has adopted numerous ITF development programmes to help deliver tennis across the island – the ITF Junior Tennis Initiaitive being a prime example.
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Indeed, the 2024 Global Tennis Report showed that Mauritius has seen an increase in participation in the game since they were last surveyed in 2019.
Becoming the first African nation to receive recognition through the ITF’s NTC Recognition Programme was also a major feather in their cap, for which the MTF received the ITF Development Award.
Mauritius’s NTC was established in 2003 under the leadership of MTF President Jean-Michel Giraud, who returned to the presidency of the MTF in 2023.
It boasts eight courts, a restaurant, offices and pro shop, and has hosted ITF World Tennis Tour events at both professional and junior level as well as the ITF/CAT African Junior Championships. The next step in the process is to improve facilities further.
“The achievements of Mauritius serve as a great example for small nations and show the impact which an NTC can have on tennis within a country, both from a participation and performance perspective,” added Masunga.
“The NTC is the pillar for tennis in Mauritius and receiving White Level status is an important milestone in the development of tennis, not just in Mauritius but the region.
“The MTF and ITF will now work towards Mauritius enhancing its offering at Petit Camp so the nation can develop better players. Mauritius has the bold ambition to have players in the Top 250 of the ITF junior rankings consistently.
“The nation would also like to improve its footprint within Africa, and have professional players develop without them feeling the need to leave the island and seek training opportunities elsewhere.”
MTF received funding through the ITF Facility Grant Programme in January in order to upgrade and improve lighting at the NTC. The work is scheduled for completion this quarter alongside other imrpovements, which are being funded by the Federation and a local sponsor.
Mauritius is a shining example of what can happen when ITF and a national association work in unison to ensure the long-term growth of the tennis and improve the sport for future generations.