Players and coaches from across Europe have gathered at MegaSaray Club in Antalya, Turkiye, to participate in the ITF/Tennis Europe Development Championships. The competition, hosted for the 14th time by the Turkish Tennis Federation, has welcomed 10 teams representing ITF Development Eligibility ‘Tier 1’ nations – Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Moldova and Türkiye.
The schedule in Antalya consists of 4 combined events: the 12 & Under players have the opportunity to participate in a Training Camp run by ITF Development Officer for Europe Vitor Cabral, followed by a Category 2 Tennis Europe Junior Tour 12&U tournament. The 14 & Under players will play in two consecutive Category 2 tournaments. Notably, these tournaments are one of the selection criteria for the ITF/Tennis Europe Touring Team which will be travelling for the Tennis Europe most prestigious tournaments later this summer.
All eligible nations used all available spots for their players on this occasion, meaning that all 14 & Under teams consist of 2 boys and 2 girls, and all 12 & Under teams consist of 1 boy and 1 girl, giving a combined total of 60 players accompanied by 2 or 3 coaches in each case.
The opening ceremony was attended by the Turkish former WTA professional player Ipek Soylu, now a Turkish Tennis Federation Board Member, who expressed her happiness at having the ITF/Tennis Europe Development Championships in Türkiye for a 14th time, and informed the players that she, herself played at the Development Championships the first time it was held in Antalya.
Long established as one of Tennis Europe’s flagship development activities, the Championships were devised to provide top-level playing opportunities for the most promising talents from emerging tennis nations in Europe. Former competitors over the years include the likes of Aryna Sabalenka, Jelena Ostapenko, Simona Halep, Marcos Baghdatis and Grigor Dimitrov. A full report will follow the completion of the competitions.