Junior Development Initiatives

Today’s junior players are key to the future of our sport, and as part of Tennis Europe’s development activities, the organisation aims to ensure that the best players from developing tennis countries are assisted with the necessary resources and opportunities to be able to compete against their peers from the rest of the world.

There are two main ways in which this assistance is currently given to our member federations. As part of the ITF/Tennis Europe Development Program, teams of specially-invited players from three age groups (14, 16 and 18 & Under) are taken on multiple-week tours of top events, where they can benefit from a training camp and the supervision of top coaches while making the most of the opportunity to travel and compete at a high level. You can find reports on the activities of some of the most recent Touring Teams in our newsletters.

Additionally, Tennis Europe organises the 14 & Under Development Championships, an annual tournament open to players nominated by nations benefitting from development assistance. Held over 10 days, the event takes the form of two Category 2 Tennis Europe Junior Tour events held back to back for boys and girls, with singles and doubles competitions.  

For many players, these events offer a unique opportunity to travel and provide a chance to obtain experience of competing in international events, as well as all-important Tennis Europe Junior Tour ranking points.

Top players to have benefitted in the past from these schemes include the likes of Victoria Azarenka, Marcos Baghdatis, Simona Halep, Kaia Kanepi and Grigor Dimitrov, to name but a few.