ITF launches Juniors Top 10 Club for ITF Junior Circuit
The International Tennis Federation (ITF) today announced
the launch of a new initiative for junior tennis called the
ITF Juniors Top 10 Club. The Club will be linked to the existing
ITF Junior Circuit, the ITF’s premier tour of events
for boys and girls aged 18 & under, which provides a vital
stepping-stone for players onto the professional circuit.
A total of 320 junior events will be held in 107 countries
in 2006, with the year-end No. 1-ranked boy and girl crowned
ITF Junior World Champion. From 2006, there will be an added
incentive to gain ITF World Junior Ranking points, with players
who finish the year ranked inside the Top 10 gaining membership
to the ITF’s exclusive Juniors Top 10 Club. The launch
of the Top 10 Club is a move by the ITF to reward the players
on the circuit for outstanding performance throughout the
year. The ten boys and ten girls who qualify each year will
instantly become members of the exclusive Club and receive
a number of benefits as a reward.
Two major companies have already announced their sponsorship
of the Club in 2006 and 2007. Lufthansa German Airlines and
computer games distributor SEGA Europe Limited are both offering
some tempting prizes to the ITF Juniors Top 10 Club members.
Lufthansa will open an Account for each player on their Miles
& More Frequent Flyer Programme that will entitle them
to preferred check-in and access to lounges at airports worldwide.
SEGA will provide each member with the latest in portable
gaming – a Sony PlayStation Portable™ console.
In addition, they will receive a copy of SEGA’s hugely
successful tennis game, Virtua Tennis™ World Tour, which
will allow the players to take control of of the world’s
top tennis stars in matches, tournaments and training. Given
the exclusive potential of the Club, the ITF is hopeful to
announce further sponsors later this year.
Christine Ungricht, Chairman of the ITF Junior Competitions
Committee, said: “The Top 10 Club is an exciting new
initiative for the ITF Junior Circuit. The players are very
important to us and we are pleased to announce an initiative
that will make their life on the junior circuit more exciting.
Our aim is to create a Club that every player will strive
to join. With the right partners we can create a fantastic
annual feature for the most talented boys and girls on the
ITF Junior Circuit.” ITF President Francesco Ricci Bitti
added: “The ITF Junior Circuit is played by the future
champions of the game. If you look back at the players who
finished in the Top 10 over the last 20 years, it is a virtual
honour roll of tennis. We are very pleased to launch this
exclusive Club with two fantastic partners in Lufthansa German
Airlines and SEGA who have got the ball rolling by offering
some wonderful prizes for the players finishing the year in
the Top 10.”
The ITF Junior Circuit was launched by the ITF in 1977 with
just nine events taking place in six countries. In 2006, 320
junior events will be held in 107 countries with approximately
8,000 juniors taking part. Previous competitors in the ITF
Junior Circuit include Stefan Edberg, Ivan Lendl, Andy Roddick,
Roger Federer, Amelie Mauresmo, Martina Hingis, Justine Henin-Hardenne
and Kim Clijsters. For further information, visit: http://www.itftennis.com/juniors/rankings/
topten.
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