Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- To assist the 164,000 tennis coaches globally during this time of uncertainty, the ITF is making more resources on its ITF Academy platform available for free for the duration of this period of imposed shutdown.

ITF Academy features a wealth of resources that will not only benefit coaches, but also parents, teachers and anyone who wants to improve their own game. More than 340 theory-led content pieces, including videos, articles and scientific research papers, are available for free on the ITF’s educational platform, enabling users to make tangible progress in their personal and professional development from home.

Interactive online courses have recently been added to the platform for the first time, with 18 courses currently available in English and a further 6 in Spanish and 6 in French. The courses cover a variety of subjects, from an ‘Introduction to Strategy & Tactics’ to ‘Ethics in Coaching’. New courses will be added each week, with ‘Goal setting’, ‘Tennis Parents’ and ‘Teaching Methodology’ among the upcoming topics to be covered.

In addition to the courses and resources available on ITF Academy, the ITF are also making their bestselling ebook ‘Advanced Coaches Manual’ available for free to all during this period (previously £14.99). Accessible via the ITF ebooks app, the manual has been published in 13 languages and contains comprehensive scientific and practical information on all elements of the game for coaches working with players of all ages and abilities. The ITF ebooks app is an invaluable source of information in its own right, with more than 150 publications currently live – many of which are free to access.

Whether for an established coach, a newcomer, or just someone interested in better understanding the theoretical side of the sport, the ITF Academy is an essential tool for continued professional development.

ITF President David Haggerty said, “Everybody around the world is trying to continue with their lives as best as they can in the face of this enormous global challenge. While sport is rightly not the main priority at the moment, people still rely on it for their livelihoods. By making these resources available for free, I hope as many people as possible will benefit in some way and use this time to continue to develop themselves.”

ITF Executive Director, Tennis Development, Luca Santilli said: “We know from our Development Officers around the world how important these educational tools are for coaches. While it may not be possible for them to be on court, it is important that they still have an opportunity to learn and connect to the tennis world.”