ASTANA, Kazakhstan, May 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Asian Tennis Federation (ATF) held a board of directors meeting in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, which has lately become a paragon of tennis development in the region. This October, the country will host an ATP 250 tournament for the fourth time. To be held in Almaty for the first time, the event is expected to be larger than previous tournaments, gathering players from more than 20 countries as well as around 42 thousand spectators.

The board of the ATF, whose primary goal is to make Asian tennis players more competitive on the global stage, discussed the Federation's development strategy until 2027, the establishment of new Asian tournaments for top players, promotion of the participation of Asian players in high-level international events and the increased construction of clay courts to improve the performance of Asian players on clay surfaces.

One of the key highlights of the meeting was a visit to the Beeline Arena and the Daulet Tennis Centre to observe firsthand the training of children in Kazakhstan and to engage with the coaches.

Representatives from Cambodia, China, India, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, and the United Arab Emirates, among other countries, attended the meeting.

Bulat Utemuratov, who is President of the Kazakhstan Tennis Federation, Vice President of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and chairman of the ATF's Development Advisors Group, noted: 

"I'm proud to keep supporting the representation of Asian players at international tournaments. As one of the key first steps, I intend to call on the ITF to increase the number of high-level ITF tournaments held in this region and to ensure that the representation of Asian players in international tournaments matches the share of IPIN (International Player Identification Number) fees paid by them."

Yuriy Polskiy, President of the Asian Tennis Federation, said:

"We are partnering with the Grand Slam tournaments to elevate Asian tennis players. They will compete for a wild card entry to the French Open through qualifiers in Kazakhstan, China, and Japan. Additionally, young players (14&U) will have the chance to participate in Wimbledon.

"We also seek the ITF's support to expand junior tournaments in Asia, allowing players to compete in major events without travelling to Europe, thereby conserving financial resources."

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SOURCE Kazakhstan Tennis Federation