The All India Tennis Association (AITA) today announced that they have become the first federation in the Asian region to receive a silver level recognition for their coaching program from the International Tennis Federation (ITF).
There are 16 nations in the world who hold the gold level recognition, which is considered to be the highest level in tennis coaching.
AITA Secretary General Bharat Oza said that ITF Research Officer Miguel Crespo evaluated their coaches education programme last month.
Noted coach Hemant Bendrey, under whom India's top women singles player Ankita Raina trains, said the process started two years back and he expects that India will be able to move to the next level by the end of 2014. Bendrey represents AITA on the ITF Coaching Commission.
Kawaljeet Singh, who is one of AITA's 10 Level-I coaches and also Director of Coaches' Eductaion, said they keep bringing modifications to their progammes as per the needs and level of the coaches and ITF has endorsed their steps.
"We have prepared the syllabus in many regional languages. Sometimes the coaches are not able to understand it in English as there are not highly educated coaches around," Singh said.
Oza emphasised the need to have a correct coaching system in place, saying most of the tennis dropouts are result of a faulty system.
He cited the example of having dotted balls - red, orange and green - which vary in weight and pressure for training, according to the level of players. He said Belgium's Justin Henin Hardene and Kim Clijsters were product of good system in place.
