Data from the 2024 ITF Global Tennis Report is overwhelmingly positive for Canadian tennis
Canadian tennis reached another important milestone in its development today, as the International Tennis Federation (ITF) 2024 Global Tennis Report released this week shows the country has climbed the ranks on the world tennis ladder in multiple categories. The ITF Global Tennis is the most comprehensive study of tennis participation and performance in the world, analyzing data from over 199 countries to highlight the sport’s development worldwide.
While the rise of Canada as a world-leading tennis nation has been well documented in the last decade,
most recently when the country captured back-to-back championship titles at the Davis Cup (2022) and the Billie Jean King Cup (2023), the latest edition of the report showcased remarkable progress in categories linked to participation.
Some highlights include:
- Canada is now second globally for the percentage of its population playing tennis at 12.8%. The country saw this percentage grow by 7.1% since the last report, which was published in 2021.
- The total number of people playing tennis in Canada has risen to nearly 5 million, up from 3.9 million in 2021—an increase of over 1 million participants. Ranked sixth globally amongst all nations, it’s an incredible achievement for a northern country that still has challenges related to providing year-round access to the sport.
- Gender equity in participation has surged in Canada, with 46% of tennis players now being women and girls, up from 29.2% in 2021. The nation rose to the top of its ITF membership group[1] in the last three years (initial rank: 10th). Thanks to tireless efforts to promote gender equity at all levels of the sport in Canada, we are now closer than ever to seeing complete gender parity amongst people playing tennis.
- The number of Canadian competitive junior athletes with world-rankings has also grown, with an additional 16 boys and 12 girls since 2022. This progression highlights that our competitive pipeline is flourishing, and that our efforts are leading more players to engage fully with the sport.
To review the Canadian results, click here.
Peter Kruyt, Chair of the Board, Tennis Canada and member of the ITF’s Strategic Taskforce
“We were thrilled to see the results of the latest ITF Global Tennis Report. The entire Canadian tennis ecosystem, from our federation to provincial and territorial associations, clubs, and municipalities, has worked tirelessly in the post-pandemic years to grow tennis, long believed to be the healthiest sport to play in Canada. Seeing these efforts recognized is incredibly rewarding. Together, we can all take pride in these numbers that confirm, once again, our place as a world-leading tennis nation. “
Gavin Ziv, Chief Executive Officer, Tennis Canada
“The 2024 ITF data is highly encouraging, and it demonstrates that our country’s efforts to grow tennis are making a significant impact. For Tennis Canada specifically, we had identified clear strategic priorities in our latest 5-year plan, which notably included increasing overall participation, advancing gender equity at all levels, and boosting the number of players in our competitive pipeline. We progressed in all these areas, unequivocally demonstrating that there is a strong appetite for tennis in Canada and the sport’s future looks incredibly bright.”
ACCESSIBILITY TO COURTS REMAINS A CHALLENGE
While the results are overwhelmingly positive for Canadian tennis, the report also highlights challenges to be addressed in the coming years if the sport wishes to keep growing. One such challenge is the decline in the total number of publicly accessible recreational courts since 2021 (-178), despite surging demand and a growing player base. Canada now far exceeds median participant-to-court ratios within its peer group.
Eva Havaris, Senior Vice President of Tennis Development and Partnerships
“Improving access to tennis is one of Tennis Canada’s top priorities, and the ITF report confirms there’s important work to do. In recent years, through our infrastructure programs and with the support of partners like Rogers and National Bank, we have centred our efforts on creating more accessible opportunities to play year-round and we are already seeing the positive impact of our actions everywhere. However, meeting the growing demand and ensuring that the population can fully benefit from tennis’ health advantages require accelerated efforts in year-round sports infrastructure development.”
Tennis Canada attributes the reduction in public courts to several factors, including aging facilities and conversions to pickleball courts (approximately 60 courts repurposed in the last five years). However, indoor courts have increased since 2021 (+68), and efforts are underway to build more. This number is set to grow as the Tennis Canada’s Year-Round Community Tennis Courts Program presented by Rogers will soon reach 37% of its objective of building 160 new indoor courts across 30 facilities by 2029. Additionally, the National Bank Play Your Court program, launched in 2023, has also started revitalizing courts around the country (13 courts in total so far) with the goal being to improve 100 outdoor public courts by 2030.
For more information on Tennis Canada’s participation programs or how to join competitive circuits, visit www.tenniscanada.com. Canadians can also explore the web platforms of Provincial and Territorial Tennis Associations here: Provincial and Territorial Associations.
[1] Refers to the group of nations who share the same ITF membership share. Canada is part of a group of 14 nations which includes: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Czechia, India, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Russia (suspended), South Africa, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.