World Tennis Tour launches Tournament Recognition Programme
The ITF is today recognising tournaments on the ITF World Tennis Tour that deliver to the highest standards for players.
The Tournament Recognition Programme is designed to motivate, reward and thank National Associations and tournament organisers who have hosted tournaments to a very high standard. Those 2024 tournaments which have been recognised will have a green star fixed next to their name on the 2025 published ITF tournament calendar; which will allow players to clearly see the best-performing tournaments.
The ITF World Tennis Tour comprises approximately 1,200 tournaments, spanning five category levels for women, including three at the Challenger-equivalent level, W50, W75, W100; and two categories for men. Approximately 80 tournaments will be recognised as part of the Tournament Recognition Programme.
There are two elements of the programme: recognising tournaments who meet and exceed the ITF’s standards for delivering a tournament; and rewarding tournaments for their longevity and commitment to the Tour.
One of the first recipients of the recognition award from 2024 is the W100 Disa Gran Canaria tournament held at the Conde Jackson Tennis Club in late July. The Spanish tournament has moved venue over the years and has also steadily increased in prize money, from $10,000 in 2016 to its current status since 2023 as an ITF W100 flagship event (with $100,000 in prize money).
Underlining the value of World Tennis Tour tournaments in allowing players to reach their potential, Alexandra Eala, who in March defeated Iga Swiatek at the WTA 1000 event in Miami en route to the semi-finals, is a former participant at the Gran Canaria tournament, as is Paula Badosa, who has reached a career-high WTA ranking of 2.
W100 Disa Gran Canaria is featured in the ITF’s recent video showcasing the World Tennis Tour.
Oti Santana, Tournament Director said: “We are thrilled to receive this award from the ITF which recognises all the hard work we do as a team each year to organise this tournament and position the Canary Islands, and more specifically Gran Canaria, as one of the epicentres of professional women's tennis. We are very proud of our W100 tournament and this award gives us the motivation to continue improving.”
Another W100 tournament being recognised is the Al Habtoor Tennis Challenge in the United Arab Emirates which last year celebrated its 27th year on the ITF World Tennis Tour. The tournament is a favourite among players and boasts the participation of five players who would go on to become the No. 1-ranked player in the world: Jelena Jankovic, Angelique Kerber, Simona Halep, Karolina Pliskova and the current world No. 1, Aryna Sabalenka.
Naser Al-Marzooqi, General Secretary of the UAE National Association, said: “We are delighted that the ITF has chosen to recognise the W100 Al Habtoor tournament in Dubai. This is a fantastic reward for the effort in hosting the tournament a remarkable 27 times, and which has proven to be a player favourite over the years.”
Andrew Moss, Executive Director of the World Tennis Tour, said: “We would like to thank tournament organisers for all the hard work they put in to organise first-class tournaments and deliver the best possible platform for players to showcase their talent on the ITF World Tennis Tour. The ITF’s focus on raising standards for players is matched by the pride and commitment shown by organisers and by National Associations. We congratulate those 2024 tournaments recognised and we look forward to further collaboration to elevate the World Tennis Tour even higher.”
Further recipients will be notified shortly.