Photo: Peter Figura
Canadians have been recognized globally through appointments on the International Tennis Federation’s (ITF) 2022-23 Committees and Commissions, as announced in December.
Tennis Canada Chair of the Board Jennifer Bishop is the only woman, and the second woman in history, to be appointed to the ITF’s Davis Cup Committee. The Davis Cup by Rakuten began in 1900 and is the premiere international team event in men’s tennis. It recently underwent a transformation in partnership with Kosmos, led by professional footballer Gerard Piqué and Rakuten CEO Hitoshi Mikitani. Ms. Bishop had previously been the first Canadian appointed to the Billie Jean King Cup Committee, chaired by Katrina Adams.
Former Tennis Canada board member Jack Graham will continue in his role as ITF director, and on the Governance Structure Taskforce and Development Advisors Group, and will Chair the Constitutional Committee. Janet Petras, Tennis Canada’s Director of High-Performance Programs and Administration, was reappointed to the Wheelchair Tennis Committee, which she has been part of since 2012.
The 2022-23 ITF Committees, Commissions and Taskforces are charged with assisting the organization and its Board of Directors across key areas of the sport. Their duties include fulfilling the ITF’s core pillars of Governance, Sport and Participation. In total, 67 nations are represented and 32% of the appointments are held by women.
“As a world-leading tennis nation, it is critical for Canada to have a voice on the global stage,” commented Jennifer Bishop. “We are privileged to have the opportunity to work closely with the ITF, national association members and other selected individuals as we continue to elevate the sport.”
ITF President David Haggerty said: “The 2022-2023 term will be important for the ITF as we progress the ITF2024 strategic priorities, continue with governance reform, and drive a significant increase in tennis participation as we aim for our goal of 120 million players worldwide by 2030.
“Committees play a vital role, the majority of members are volunteers, providing their expertise and essential resources to achieve our goals and meet the challenges ahead. Gender balance is not yet fully reflected in leadership roles at the highest levels which remains a priority for the ITF through its Advantage All program.
“We remain committed to encouraging our national and regional associations to continue to increase diversity on their boards and committees so that our future pool of talented leaders represents the global diversity and footprint of tennis.”
Click here for a full list of the ITF’s 2022-23 Committees and Commissions.
