The International Tennis Federation has officially rebranded as World Tennis, marking the most significant identity change in the governing body’s 113-year history as it seeks to expand the sport’s global reach and sharpen its standing within tennis’ increasingly crowded administrative landscape.
The organisation, founded in 1913 as the International Lawn Tennis Federation and known as the ITF since 1977, confirmed on Thursday that the new name better reflects its role as the worldwide governing body for the sport. The change follows an overwhelming vote of support from member national associations at last October’s annual general meeting and is being introduced through a phased global rollout, with the new branding going live this week and the move to a world.tennis web address due later in the year.
World Tennis oversees many of the sport’s central functions, including the rules of tennis, the Davis Cup, the Billie Jean King Cup, Olympic and Paralympic tennis, wheelchair tennis, and the professional pathway that sits below the ATP and WTA Tours.
Target of 140 million players by 2035
Alongside the rebrand, World Tennis set out a long-term vision built around growing global participation. The body said it wants to lift the number of people playing tennis worldwide from roughly 106 million today to 140 million by 2035 — an increase of more than 30 per cent over the next decade.
To support that goal, World Tennis pledged to reinvest at least 85 per cent of all income it generates each year back into the sport over the next ten years, working hand in hand with its 214 member national associations. The body said the investment would focus on grassroots participation, player development, innovation, sustainability and the strengthening of international competition.
In an open letter co-signed by President David Haggerty and Chief Executive Ross Hutchins, the organisation framed its ambition under a simple message — “Tennis for all” — arguing that the wider game benefits whenever more people play, watch or follow the sport. Haggerty said the rebrand was a chance to redefine the body’s role, adding that the new name “reflects who we are, our global footprint and unique mandate.”
Why the name change?
World Tennis said the previous brand did not communicate the organization’s role clearly enough to fans, partners and those outside the sport. While the ATP and WTA are widely recognized as the professional tours, the ITF acronym was less familiar to casual audiences despite the body’s responsibility for governing tennis globally. The organization said the World Tennis name immediately identifies both the sport and its worldwide mission, and brings it into line with most of sport’s other prominent global governing bodies.
The shift mirrors recent moves by other international federations that have adopted more descriptive names, including World Athletics, World Aquatics, World Gymnastics and World Rugby.
A push for greater unity
The announcement arrives during a period of intense debate over how tennis is run. Leading players have called for closer cooperation between the sport’s governing bodies, with disputes over scheduling, player welfare, prize money and commercial returns all drawing attention — including a continuing player protest over Grand Slam revenue share that is set to carry into Wimbledon next week.
World Tennis has positioned collaboration between itself, the ATP, the WTA, the four Grand Slam tournaments and national federations as essential to the sport’s future growth. Whether the new name comes to carry the recognition the ITF acronym built over nearly five decades remains to be seen, but the body is betting that the rebrand signals more than a fresh logo: a renewed commitment to expanding participation, investing in the game and presenting a clearer global iden
