The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) has launched a program to support female coaches in professional tennis and promote a “career pathway for women”.
Not a single tennis player in the current top 10 in the women’s rankings uses the services of a female coach.
The WTA program aims to promote professional and grassroots training as a career choice for athletes and coaches. It consists of three separate phases, including a week of off-season training in December with female tennis players in Florida, a 10-week online certification course and the opportunity to observe a coach and player during a WTA tournament.
“The women’s coaching program is an important step in diversifying and expanding our pool of professionals”, said association president Steve Simon. “It is critical for the organization that we promote and provide coaching career paths for women, as well as for our former athletes to have the opportunity to learn and grow in this important coaching role”, added he.
The WTA specified that the coaching program is open to applicants based in the United States.