The Women’s Tennis Coaching Association (WTCA) hosted a gathering of world-class tennis players, coaches and educators at the first annual WTCA Conference Paris.
PARIS – For the first time in organization history, the Women’s Tennis Coaching Association brought cutting-edge education to Europe as they welcomed a sold-out crowd to the inaugural WTCA Conference Paris at the Lagardère Paris Racing on May 25-26.
An organization dedicated to enhancing the level of coaching for females across the sport of tennis, the WTCA strives to provide coaches with the necessary resources to achieve professional excellence in an effort to safeguard all female players by fostering and educating an internationally connected community of like-minded and committed individuals.
“Our first annual WTCA Conference Paris was everything we hoped for and more,” said CEO Sarah Stone. “We feel very fortunate to have brought together some of the brightest stars in tennis to help educate and inspire today’s coaches to create a more positive environment for our female players.”
The first day’s agenda featured presentations from some of the greatest minds, coaches and players that tennis has to offer, including a special presentation from Justine Henin and Juan Pablo Abarca on the learning process behind optimum performance. Considered one of the greatest female tennis players to ever step foot on the court, Henin and Abarca spoke on their experiences as both athletes and high-level coaches.
In addition to Henin’s presentation, attendees had the opportunity to learn technical skills and tricks from the likes of Donato Campagnoli, Emma Doyle, Howard Green and Piotr Unierzyski. These presentations ranged from how to tailor coaching techniques specifically to women to tennis footwork training tips.
Former world No. 4 player Magdalena Maleeva and Youlia Berberian Maleeva, her coach and mother, headlined day two of the conference lineup with a question and answer session. Berberian Maleeva famously coached all three of her daughters into the top 6 of the WTA singles rankings, and the mother-daughter duo spoke on overcoming adversity through continuous learning and perseverance.
The second day’s agenda also included presentations on coaching female players from the former Lawn Tennis Association Head of Women’s Tennis Carl Maes, injury prevention from Lindsey Ayala, a panel on developing junior players and a unique session on video analysis specifically for female athletes. Professional tennis player Aleksandra Krunic also made a special appearance, speaking to attendees about her final preparations before her opening match at the Roland-Garros.
Above all else, the WTCA Conference Paris provided attendees with a space to form a global community of like-minded and committed coaches, which is one of the primary goals of the WTCA. Through world-class education, these coaches were given the tools to make a positive change in the sport of women’s tennis.
“The past two days have been extremely rewarding for our organization and our attendees,” said Stone. “We feel very confident that these coaches have grown both personally and professionally. Each presentation brought something unique to the table, and the lessons we have learned throughout the conference will hopefully create a lasting impact on the sport of women’s tennis.”
For the latest news, updates, and information on how to join the WTCA, please visit wtcatennis.org. Coaches can also stay up-to-date by following the WTCA on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
