Overview

The ITF World Participation Conference: Overview

Click HERE to register for the event via the ITF Academy – where you will also gain access to a range of tennis courses, education and resources

Interested in exploring sports participation with representatives from across the globe?

The ITF World Participation Conference provides one of the only opportunities to come together to discuss ways to increase participation in sport globally.

The fourth edition of the event will once again feature a leading line-up of international speakers who will share their expertise and experiences around this year’s conference theme: 'Maximising play and enjoyment to drive participation'. Hosted virtually for the second time, the event is open for anyone wishing to attend.

To register for the event you will need to sign up via the ITF Academy at the button below – by doing so you will also gain access to over 150 tennis courses plus a host of educational resources and content.

For those interested in gaining access to over 150 tennis courses plus a host of educational resources and content, you can register via the ITF Academy. More information is here.

Who attends? Why attend?

Experts, from both inside and outside of the sport, share their knowledge on a range of topics. Learn and engage with like-minded peers from the likes of FIFA, Union Cycliste Internationale, World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry, key sporting figures, academics from universities worldwide and so many more.

View 2022 Conference Topics

2022 Programme

This year’s event will once again take place across three days from Tuesday 19th – Thursday 21st July, featuring a line-up of expert speakers, multiple sessions and topics. Click below to see the 2022 programme.

View 2022 Conference programme

Speakers

More than 85 speakers presented at the first three editions of the ITF World Participation Conference, covering topics such as measuring insight, the health and wellbeing benefits of participation, attracting more women to sport and combatting social barriers.

The latest speakers confirmed for 2022 are shown below.

Gustavo Kuerten - Three-time Roland Garros champion
Casey Dellacqua - Former Australian No. 1 professional tennis player and two-time Olympian
Monica Puig - Former professional tennis player & Olympic gold medallist
Marcos Baghdatis - Former Australian Open finalist and Top 10 singles player
Alfie Hewett - 20-time Grand Slam champion
Vania King, Executive Director, Serving up Hope
Angella Okutoyi - 2022 Wimbledon Junior Doubles Champion
William Knottenbelt - Professor of Applied Quantitative Analysis, Imperial College London
Karthi Gnanasegaram - Sports Presenter
Vincent Pereira - Head of Virtual Sport, International Olympic Committee
Alexandre Gros - Project Leader Football for Schools, FIFA Foundation
Amanda J. Visek - Associate Professor, George Washington University
David Haggerty - ITF President
Elizabeth Pike - Professor of Sport, Health and Exercise, University of Hertfordshire
James Hope-Gill - Chief Executive Officer, Skateboard GB
Jenny Fitzmaurice - Head of Participation and Coaching, Tennis New Zealand
Karl Davies - Research, Sport Science and Adult Learning, USTA
Kelly Fairweather - Chief Executive Officer, ITF
Kym Jordan - Senior Director, Special Olympics International
Luca Santilli, Executive Director of Tennis Development, ITF
Matt Byford, Head of Juniors & Seniors, ITF
Thomas Labuzienski - Strategic Brand Partnerships Manager, Microsoft
Wanjiru Mbugua Karani - Secretary General, Tennis Kenya
Wayne Elderton - Tennis Director, North Vancouver Tennis Centre
Blearta Ukehaxhaj - Tennis Festival Manager, Kosovo Tennis Federation
Tim Jones - Project Lead, Participation, ITF
Ben Philip - Senior Manager Beach Tennis, ITF
Paul Lifton - Project Manager Integrity and Development, ITF
Gastón Leandro Brum - Executive Director, Asociación Argentina de Tenis
Virginija Paliukaite - General Secretary, Tennis Lithuania
Niels Meijer - CEO, Johan Cruyff Foundation
Daniel Meure - CEO, Tournament Software
Geraint Richards - UK Project Manager, Cruyff Foundation
Valeria MacLoughlin - AAT Operations Coordinator, Asociación Argentina de Tenis
Miranda van Holstein - Senior Projects Manager, Cruyff Foundation
Zita Csovelyak - Head of National Federation Services & Development, World Triathlon
Shiyananth Sivanantharajah - Participation Officer, Sri Lanka Tennis Association
David Ward - CEO, Clubspark Group
Claire Bates - Director, Handicapping, The R&A
Emil Sutovsky - Director-General, International Chess Federation
Amir Borghei - Development Officer, West & Central Asia, ITF
Olly Scadgell - Participation Director, Lawn Tennis Association
Keith Carder - Head of Competition, Lawn Tennis Association
Tracy Davies - Managing Director Competition, USTA
Ian Wright, Director of Development - Badminton World Federation
Jinger Gottschall - Director of Applied Science, Wahoo Fitness
Emma Saggers - ITF World Tennis Number Marketing Manager, ITF
Kgothatso Monjtane - Three-time Grand Slam finalist
Sheila Stephens Desbans - Head of Sport Development Unit, Olympic Solidarity, IOC
Victor Enciso - Senior Data Scientist, ITF
Suzie Toyn - Team Lead, Wheelchair Tennis, ITF
Alistair Williams - Head of Live Scoring & Wheelchair Tennis, ITF
Daniel Courcol - Deputy CEO, Tennis Development, French Tennis Federation (FFT)