ITF plans aid for PH tennis

Philippine tennis is expected to benefit financially from programs in the pipeline of the International Tennis Federation.

One of the federation’s projects in the next eight years involves distributing funds to all its 135 member nations, “especially the developing countries,” so each will have cash to promote tennis development, according to ITF president David Haggerty.

To make this possible, Haggerty said they plan to hold Davis Cup finals and Fed Cup semifinals in neutral venues and then channel the revenues generated from these events to all member nations.

“We want to unlock money so you will no longer lose money in Davis Cup and Fed Cup and have money to fund grassroots development,” he said. “Nobody should lose money hosting these events.”

Haggerty, who was in Manila early this week, acknowledged that the ITF is going against tradition because the Davis Cup is 116 years old, while Fed Cup is on its 52nd year.