A core mission of Tennis Europe is to promote tennis as a diverse, safe, and welcoming sport, positively impacting the lives of many thousands of individuals, regardless of their ethnicity, gender, social background, or ability.
Tennis is fundamentally an equal opportunities sport, and Tennis Europe is currently focused on boosting female participation in the sport and is working to increase female representation in all roles. The organisation is in alignment with and fully endorses ‘Advantage All’, a pioneering program from the sport’s governing body the International Tennis Federation, which provides resources and knowledge to support member nations and regional associations in working towards achieving gender parity.
European nations demonstrate diverse approaches to gender equity, shaped of course by their respective sizes, cultures and histories. Despite this, there is a shared aspiration to prioritise gender equality as a pillar for the future growth of tennis in Europe.
Led by Tennis Europe Vice-President Florence Alix-Gravellier and supported by Board Member Avi Perets, Tennis Europe’s Gender Equality Committee – comprised of representatives from 18 nations – focuses its work on three main areas:
- Mapping & Roadmaps: Analyses existing data, identifies gaps, grouping countries based on shared challenges and progress. Sets clear, measurable targets across areas including participation, coaching, leadership, and officiating.
- Roadshow & Implementation: Facilitates national exchanges to share ideas and best practices. Promotes development programs and events specific to women to foster growth at grassroots and elite levels.
- Influence & Individual Change: Highlights the importance of sharing successful strategies to increase female representation. Motivates individuals and cultivates initiatives that promote actionable change and long-term impact.
One such special event will take place in June 2025 at the final rounds of the Girls 14 & Under Summer Cups in Loano, Italy, where players at the European team championship event will attend a special Junior School session dedicated to the topic.
Achieving a balanced gender representation in tennis across Europe will clearly require ongoing collaboration, strategic data use, and a shared commitment to transformation. To support these endeavours, over the coming months Tennis Europe will be conducting a comprehensive European survey, intended to gather insights from member nations on participation in the fields of grassroots tennis, coaching, leadership, and officiating.
The results of the survey – due to be published by the end of the year - will provide a clear snapshot of current trends, highlight areas of potential progress, identify ongoing challenges, and inform future initiatives to promote gender equity in tennis for the benefit of all federations.
Launching the survey, Gender Committee Member Mariette Verbruggen commented, “Gender equity in tennis is not just the right thing to strive for, it’s a powerful way to grow our sport and to keep more girls engaged in tennis in the long run. This survey builds on the information collated for last year’s landmark ITF Global Tennis Report and is the most ambitious study to date of Tennis Europe constituent nations. We look forward to discovering new insights and working together with all member nations to shape a more equitable future for tennis across Europe.”