By Richard Pagliaro | Thursday, October 16, 2025Photo credit score: Worldwide Tennis Federation
Certainly one of tennis’ most historic governing our bodies is rebranding.
The Worldwide Tennis Federation introduced in the present day it’ll finish a 110-year custom and alter its identify 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 mirror 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 outstanding international governing our bodies,” the ITF stated. “The identify change types 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 conventional tennis group, the ITF has embraced some progressive adjustments 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 adjustments prompted pushback from a number of captains, gamers and officers prompting the ITF to ultimately return to conventional home-and-away Davis Cup ties main as much as its Davis Cup Remaining 8 format, set for Bologna, November 18-Twenty third.
“After greater than 110 years of proud historical past because the ITF, I’m actually 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 in the present day; the worldwide governing physique and guardian of tennis, working onerous with our members to ship tennis for all times.
“This evolution follows in depth session throughout the worldwide tennis neighborhood and displays our shared ambition to strengthen, unify and develop the sport worldwide. We look ahead to revealing our new identification and wider plans within the coming months.”
Based because the Worldwide Garden Tennis Federation in Paris in 1913, the group turned the Worldwide Tennis Federation in 1977.
