By Richard Pagliaro | Thursday, October 16, 2025Photo credit score: Worldwide Tennis Federation
One in every of tennis’ most historic governing our bodies is rebranding.
The Worldwide Tennis Federation introduced right now it can finish a 110-year custom and alter its title to World Tennis in 2026.
The ITF stated the change got here after an “overwhelming majority vote from its member nationwide tennis associations.”
So why change from ITF to World Tennis?
The ITF says its rebranding to simplify and precisely replicate its position “as the game’s international governing physique and guardian, in addition to the important position it performs alongside its member nations to develop and develop tennis worldwide.”
“The change will present a clearer identification that’s extra related to gamers, followers, companions and tennis stakeholders all over the world, and brings the model in keeping with a majority of sport’s most distinguished international governing our bodies,” the ITF stated. “The title change kinds a part of a gradual evolution of the organisation’s model which has progressed in recent times with the expansion of sub-brands such because the World Tennis Tour and World Tennis Quantity.”
Although its a standard tennis group, the ITF has embraced some progressive modifications in recent times. It modified the title of Fed Cup to Billie Jean King Cup. Partnering with Kosmos, the ITF put in a radical reconstruction of Davis Cup in an effort to create a World Cup of tennis.
These modifications prompted pushback from a number of captains, gamers and officers prompting the ITF to finally return to conventional home-and-away Davis Cup ties main as much as its Davis Cup Ultimate 8 format, set for Bologna, November 18-Twenty third.
“After greater than 110 years of proud historical past because the ITF, I’m really excited for our future as World Tennis as we proceed to develop our contribution to the event of the sport in all corners of the globe,” stated ITF President David Haggerty.
“World Tennis higher displays who we’re right now; the worldwide governing physique and guardian of tennis, working laborious with our members to ship tennis for all times.
“This evolution follows intensive session throughout the worldwide tennis group and displays our shared ambition to strengthen, unify and develop the sport worldwide. We stay up for revealing our new identification and wider plans within the coming months.”
Based because the Worldwide Garden Tennis Federation in Paris in 1913, the group grew to become the Worldwide Tennis Federation in 1977.
