The world tennis association ITF continues to grant ÖTV top status for the years 2024 to 2027.
Together with the full-service provider Telekom Drei, the Austrian Tennis Association launched a new children's tennis offensive on October 23rd, which (among other things) focuses heavily on training tennis teachers. The fact that ÖTV has already done and is doing excellent work in this area has now received clear confirmation at international level. The ITF is granting the Austrian training system (for instructors, teachers and coaches) gold status for a further four years, from 2024 to 2027. The World Tennis Association officially announced this last week.
Austria is currently one of 18 nations with gold status
As of 2023, besides Austria, only 17 other nations worldwide have received top status, namely Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Germany, Finland, France, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Canada, Colombia, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, Spain and Switzerland. The award is awarded in accordance with minimum criteria and standards established by the ITF and the ITF Coaches Commission. Based on the documents and evidence presented, ÖTV has once again received the highest possible recognition in the form of an extension of top status, following assessment by the ITF General Director of Tennis Development, Luca Santilli.
Ohneberg: “Huge recognition and confirmation for our excellent work”
Naturally, this honor was received with great joy by the Austrian Tennis Association. For President Martin Ohneberg, the renewed award of gold status is “a huge recognition and confirmation of our excellent work in the area of training, which makes us all very happy. A functional training area is the foundation and key to continuing to have the best conditions to bring as many players as possible into the top ranks of world tennis and to allow our wonderful sport to flourish at the highest and grassroots levels. It's good to see that we are on the right path. The ITF’s biggest international prize is a clear indicator of this.”
ÖTV training officer Mair does not take awards for granted
President Ohneberg addressed his words of gratitude – on behalf of all the other people and institutions involved – in particular to the ÖTV training officer, Mag. Harald Mair. For those who “it was always a great concern that our training courses obtained exactly this gold status with the ITF”, says Mair. “From my point of view, it is very important and crucial that we not only have a good national base in this area, but also have international quality. This also makes it easier for Austrian tennis teachers if, for example, they want to go abroad and get a job there.” The 53-year-old Tyrolean does not take the highest prize for granted: “The main tennis nations have significantly highest budgets available – it is also clear that they should achieve gold status. In Austria we can count on significantly lower financial resources.”
8 criteria, 8 times the maximum score for the Austrian Tennis Association
Mair also conveyed the words of gratitude addressed to himself: “The training provided jointly with the federal sports academies in Graz, Innsbruck, Linz and Vienna and the excellent collaborations also played a significant role in this award.” In total, I completed the subareas that needed to be fulfilled with a maximum score: “There were a total of eight different criteria and we managed to maintain the maximum score eight times. “This is extremely positive feedback for ÖTV and its training system, as we are also one of the best nations in the world,” said Mair happily.