A world-class lineup of top coaches, players and sports scientists will come together for the second World Tennis Conference, to be held virtually from March 24-27. Now open for registration, WTC2 provides an unmatched learning opportunity for tennis coaches around the globe.

After its successful debut in 2021, the event’s second edition continues its mission to connect the world’s top high-performance tennis coaches and sports scientists with other coaches and people around the world. The four-day program is thoughtfully designed to raise the level of understanding surrounding player development, while helping ambitious tennis coaches develop.

More than 60 speakers from 29 countries will participate in the virtual event, including former ATP World No. 1 players, Grand Slam champions and tennis legends. Many top current coaches on the ATP Tour are also among the speakers, as well as Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup coaches, and top sports

A star-studded lineup of top coaches, players and sports scientists will come together for the second World Tennis Conference, to be held virtually from March 24-27. Now open for registration, WTC2 provides an unmatched learning opportunity for tennis coaches around the globe.

After its successful debut in 2021, the event’s second edition continues its mission to connect the world’s top high-performance tennis coaches and sports scientists with other coaches and people around the world. The four-day program is thoughtfully designed to raise the level of understanding surrounding player development, while helping ambitious tennis coaches on their journey of self-development.

More than 60 speakers from 29 countries will participate in the virtual event, including former ATP World No. 1 players, Grand Slam champions and tennis legends. Many top current coaches on the ATP Tour are also among the speakers, as well as Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup coaches, and top sports scientists. In addition to a schedule full of expert individual talks, each day of the conference will feature two live panel discussions.

Boris Becker, Brad Gilbert, Tommy Haas, Nicolas Massu, Toni Nadal and Craig O’Shannessy are among the many talented speakers.

Attendees of WTC2 will be on the cutting edge with the latest information on mental and physical development, biomechanics, nutrition, sports medicine, technology and more.

The inaugural World Tennis Conference welcomed 1,1000 coaches from 74 countries. To learn more and to register to be a part of WTC2, visit worldtennisconference.com.

Officially certified by the ATP Tour, the event is organized by the Global Professional Tennis Coaches Association (GPTCA) and the Segal Institute (SI), and will be powered by the educational platform CoachTube.

Hear from some of the coaches who are part of the event as they describe the importance of the conference:

Gilles Cervara (Coach of World No. 1 Daniil Medvedev)

“From my point of view, I think it’s very important to develop coaching programs to transmit our experience and our knowledge to coaches from all over the world who want to learn and improve. Because it’s a human process and human value to do it. I wouldn’t have been who I am today if some important people didn’t transmit me their knowledge and experiences or just share their time to explain to me how to improve.”

Toni Nadal (Rafael Nadal’a formative coach and uncle, won 17 Grand Slams with Nadal)

“Today we live in a world where everything evolves rapidly. If we do not want to be left behind, we have no choice but to continue learning, to continue training constantly. I also think it is basic and necessary for the people who are dedicated to the development of young people to learn and train. This conference can help you improve your knowledge, learn and evolve within your activity. A big hug to everyone and I really hope that this conference will help you.”

Alberto Castellani (GPTCA President and top ATP coach)

“As GPTCA President, I would like to mention we are deeply integrated with ATP to keep developing and certifying coaches. In WTC2  we have three big goals. First is to make the biggest and most important tennis conference in the world. The second is to bring as many coaches as possible to share all this important knowledge. The last one is most important: to change the concept of coaching, raising a new level in the art. Having all the information in WTC2, with scientific data plus personal and tennis stories from many of the best coaches in the world, will stimulate all others to move their creativity and imagination to make our work like art. Every tennis player is a masterpiece. This is our mission, an artistic movement.

Ivan Ljubicic (Coach of Roger Federer and former ATP No. 3)

“I’m proud to be part of WTC2. This is a fantastic initiative to share knowledge with coaches during the conference about the improvement of our sport, which is something that we were missing for a long time. A lot of tennis people will find it very interesting and useful. I’m privileged and happy to be part of it.”

Frederic Fontang (Coach of World No. 9 Felix Auger-Aliassime)

“I always consider that information is the key — sharing knowledge with players, parents and coaches who will help to build a better tennis world and keep enjoying our sport. That’s the importance of WTC2.”

Vincenzo Santopadre (Coach of World No. 7 Mateo Berrettini)

“It’s a honour to be part of WTC2. In this unbelievable conference, we have a powerful and amazing lineup of speakers. Sharing ideas coming from key people and coaches is something that can improve our level. Here, everybody is curious about what each coach is saying and thinking. I believe this is an important part that each coach should focus on to be better day by day. I found that at the high level, everybody is thinking in that way — that it is very important to share — because through sharing everyone can be better.

Liam Smith (Top ATP/WTA  coach, TP Coaches Committee member, Coach of Coco Gauff, Former coach of Gael Monfils)

“Coaches learn so much from each other, sharing their experiences and knowledge with one another. Coach education is paramount to us all being better coaches and fully developing our players. All of us can continue learn all the time.”

Claudio Pistolesi (Top ATP coach, ATP Coaches Committee member, Former coach of Robin Soderling and Daniela Hantuchova)

“I feel totally involved and proud on this WTC2 by GPTCA/SI because I was involved for many years in the ATP with the privilege to serve eight years in the ATP Player Council and currently in the last four years, in the ATP Coaches Committee. So ATP coaching was for me the last 12 years and we achieved a lot, creating this category: ATP Coaches. Also I was one of the founders of the GPTCA organisation in New York, doing more than 40 courses for them. Since last year, GPTCA and Segal Institute created WTC and I was the link with the ATP with the principle that sharing is the key. Sharing makes you grow. The first edition was amazing, and now the second edition is shaping up even better with amazing organisation. Reading the list of coaches in WTC2, you can see that any level of coach will benefit to be part of it. It’s very good that the ATP is backing it up and offering ATP coaches the opportunity to take part. This is different, important; something new that is promoting tennis coaching and human values with quality. Enjoy this fantastic WTC2.”

Ann Grossman (WTCA president and former Top 30 WTA player)

“We love to be part of WTC2. The WTCA is the global hub for coaching women’s tennis. Our mission is to keep more girls in tennis by advancing the coaching of female players across the sport. A positive side effect is to create more opportunities for women to coach high-performance female players. Also, WTCA plans on aiding passionate coaches in order to enhance the world of comments tennis.”

Nicolas Massu (Dominic Thiem´s coach and former ATP No. 9)

“It’s fundamental for us to keep growing in our sport and to have success in life and tennis; to learn more, listen more, and be open-minded to new ideas and concepts to apply. For that reason WTC2 is helping us on those objectives.”

Fernando Segal (WTC2 organizer/director and founder of Segal Institute)

“One of the fundamental purposes of WTC2 is to create a bridge between the best tennis coaches, scientists, key personalities and legends to tennis coaches and people from all over the world. Here, we are sharing principles, stories, successful cases, recommendations, tips, fundamental concepts, research and more, to keep contributing to create awareness and development in tennis coaching and in our sport. WTC2 is ‘Love for Tennis’ in its entire conception from all who are part of it. It’s a continuous movement to create growth.”

scientists. In addition to a schedule full of expert individual talks, each day of the conference will feature two live panel discussions.

Boris Becker, Brad Gilbert, Tommy Haas, Nicolas Massu, Toni Nadal and Craig O’Shannessy are among the speakers.

Attendees of WTC2 will be on the cutting edge with the latest information on mental and physical development, biomechanics, nutrition, sports medicine, technology and more.

The inaugural World Tennis Conference welcomed 1,1000 coaches from 74 countries. To learn more and to register to be a part of WTC2, visit worldtennisconference.com.

Officially certified by the ATP Tour, the event is organised by the Global Professional Tennis Coaches Association (GPTCA) and the Segal Institute (SI), and will be powered by the educational platform CoachTube.

Hear from some of the coaches who are part of the event as they describe the importance of the conference:

Gilles Cervara (Coach of World No. 1 Daniil Medvedev)

“From my point of view, I think it’s very important to develop coaching programs to transmit our experience and our knowledge to coaches from all over the world who want to learn and improve. Because it’s a human process and human value to do it. I wouldn’t have been who I am today if some important people didn’t transmit me their knowledge and experiences or just share their time to explain to me how to improve.”

Toni Nadal (Rafael Nadal’a formative coach and uncle, won 17 Grand Slams with Nadal)

“Today we live in a world where everything evolves rapidly. If we do not want to be left behind, we have no choice but to continue learning, to continue training constantly. I also think it is basic and necessary for the people who are dedicated to the development of young people to learn and train. This conference can help you improve your knowledge, learn and evolve within your activity. A big hug to everyone and I really hope that this conference will help you.”

Alberto Castellani (GPTCA President and top ATP coach)

“As GPTCA President, I would like to mention we are deeply integrated with ATP to keep developing and certifying coaches. In WTC2  we have three big goals. First is to make the biggest and most important tennis conference in the world. The second is to bring as many coaches as possible to share all this important knowledge. The last one is most important: to change the concept of coaching, raising a new level in the art. Having all the information in WTC2, with scientific data plus personal and tennis stories from many of the best coaches in the world, will stimulate all others to move their creativity and imagination to make our work like art. Every tennis player is a masterpiece. This is our mission, an artistic movement.

Ivan Ljubicic (Coach of Roger Federer and former ATP No. 3)

“I’m proud to be part of WTC2. This is a fantastic initiative to share knowledge with coaches during the conference about the improvement of our sport, which is something that we were missing for a long time. A lot of tennis people will find it very interesting and useful. I’m privileged and happy to be part of it.”

Frederic Fontang (Coach of World No. 9 Felix Auger-Aliassime)

“I always consider that information is the key — sharing knowledge with players, parents and coaches who will help to build a better tennis world and keep enjoying our sport. That’s the importance of WTC2.”

Vincenzo Santopadre (Coach of World No. 7 Matteo Berrettini)

“It’s a honour to be part of WTC2. In this unbelievable conference, we have a powerful and amazing lineup of speakers. Sharing ideas coming from key people and coaches is something that can improve our level. Here, everybody is curious about what each coach is saying and thinking. I believe this is an important part that each coach should focus on to be better day by day. I found that at the high level, everybody is thinking in that way — that it is very important to share — because through sharing everyone can be better.

Liam Smith (Top ATP/WTA  coach, TP Coaches Committee member, Coach of Coco Gauff, Former coach of Gael Monfils)

“Coaches learn so much from each other, sharing their experiences and knowledge with one another. Coach education is paramount to us all being better coaches and fully developing our players. All of us can continue learn all the time.”

Claudio Pistolesi (Top ATP coach, ATP Coaches Committee member, Former coach of Robin Soderling and Daniela Hantuchova)

“I feel totally involved and proud on this WTC2 by GPTCA/SI because I was involved for many years in the ATP with the privilege to serve eight years in the ATP Player Council and currently in the last four years, in the ATP Coaches Committee. So ATP coaching was for me the last 12 years and we achieved a lot, creating this category: ATP Coaches. Also I was one of the founders of the GPTCA organisation in New York, doing more than 40 courses for them. Since last year, GPTCA and Segal Institute created WTC and I was the link with the ATP with the principle that sharing is the key. Sharing makes you grow. The first edition was amazing, and now the second edition is shaping up even better with amazing organisation. Reading the list of coaches in WTC2, you can see that any level of coach will benefit to be part of it. It’s very good that the ATP is backing it up and offering ATP coaches the opportunity to take part. This is different, important; something new that is promoting tennis coaching and human values with quality. Enjoy this fantastic WTC2.”

Ann Grossman (WTCA president and former Top 30 WTA player)

“We love to be part of WTC2. The WTCA is the global hub for coaching women’s tennis. Our mission is to keep more girls in tennis by advancing the coaching of female players across the sport. A positive side effect is to create more opportunities for women to coach high-performance female players. Also, WTCA plans on aiding passionate coaches in order to enhance the world of comments tennis.”

Nicolas Massu (Dominic Thiem´s coach and former ATP No. 9)

“It’s fundamental for us to keep growing in our sport and to have success in life and tennis; to learn more, listen more, and be open-minded to new ideas and concepts to apply. For that reason WTC2 is helping us on those objectives.”

Fernando Segal (WTC2 organizer/director and founder of Segal Institute)

“One of the fundamental purposes of WTC2 is to create a bridge between the best tennis coaches, scientists, key personalities and legends to tennis coaches and people from all over the world. Here, we are sharing principles, stories, successful cases, recommendations, tips, fundamental concepts, research and more, to keep contributing to create awareness and development in tennis coaching and in our sport. WTC2 is ‘Love for Tennis’ in its entire conception from all who are part of it. It’s a continuous movement to create growth.”

Former World No. 1 Andy Murray will donate all the prize money he earns in the remainder of the 2022 season to a UNICEF campaign for children affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Murray made the announcement via his social media accounts on Tuesday, emphasising the impact of the conflict on young people in Ukraine.

“Over 7.5m children are at risk with the escalating conflict in Ukraine,” wrote Murray. “So I’m working with UNICEF UK to help provide urgent medical supplies and early childhood development kits.

“It’s vital education continues, so UNICEF is working to enable access to learning for displaced children, as well as supporting the rehabilitation of damaged schools, together with replacement equipment and furniture.”

I’m going to be donating my earnings from my prize money for the rest of the year, but anyone in the UK can support UNICEF’s humanitarian response by donating to our appeal by following this link – https://t.co/Z2mNGQ3xh8

Children in Ukraine need peace – now. 🇺🇦 🙏

3/3

— Andy Murray (@andy_murray) March 8, 2022

Murray’s donation fund will start with his prize money from this week’s BNP Paribas Open, the ATP Masters 1000 series event taking place in Indian Wells, California. The three-time Grand Slam champion, who reached the final in Indian Wells in 2009, was awarded a wild card and will therefore raise a minimum of US$18,200 from his first-round appearance.

Murray’s pledge comes after the ATP, WTA, ITF, and the four Grand Slams — the Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open — announced their own joint initiative, Tennis Plays For Peace, to support the humanitarian relief efforts for the war.

Click here to make a donation to Global Giving in support of the humanitarian relief efforts.

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Daniil Medvedev is competing as the No. 1 player in the ATP Rankings for the first time at the BNP Paribas Open, but that did not help his draw on Tuesday afternoon. The top seed could play Rafael Nadal in a blockbuster semi-final in the California desert, with fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in his quarter.

If Medvedev and Nadal make it to the last four, they will clash for the third time in less than two months. The legendary lefty has won both of their meetings this year, rallying from two sets down for a record-breaking 21st Grand Slam title at the Australian Open before defeating Medvedev again at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC in straight sets.

View Draw

The 26-year-old will be chasing his first title in the California desert, where he owns a 5-4 record. Last year, he reached the Round of 16 before losing a tough three-setter in the Round of 16 against 2017 Nitto ATP Finals champion Grigor Dimitrov. Medvedev, who is 12-3 on the season, has excelled at ATP Masters 1000s, where he has won four of his 13 tour-level trophies. He has triumphed at least once at this level in each of the past three seasons.

👀 ➡️ Round 2️⃣

Sebastian Korda could meet three-time BNP Paribas Open champion Rafael Nadal in the second round…#IndianWells pic.twitter.com/N6Bri7CHQl

— BNP Paribas Open (@BNPPARIBASOPEN) March 8, 2022

The World No. 1 will open his run against Australian Alexei Popyrin or a qualifier. Medvedev could meet 26th seed Gael Monfils in the third round, reigning Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals champion Carlos Alcaraz in the fourth round and fifth seed Tsitsipas in the quarter-finals.

Defending champion Cameron Norrie is also in the top quarter of the draw. The 12th-seeded Briton will open his title defence against Spaniard Pedro Martinez or a qualifier, with a potential rematch against 2021 Indian Wells finalist Nikoloz Basilashvili in the third round.

Nobody arrives at Indian Wells in better form than Nadal, who has enjoyed a career-best 15-0 start to the season. The fourth seed is a three-time champion at this event, where he is set to compete for the first time since 2019.

Nadal made at least the semi-finals in eight consecutive appearances at Indian Wells from 2006-13. The lefty has tallied a 54-10 record at the Masters 1000 event, and the 35-year-old will try to claim a record-tying 37th crown at this level. 

The Spaniard might face a familiar foe in the second round, if Sebastian Korda defeats a qualifier. The American looked up to Nadal and they trained together on Tuesday morning. Nadal defeated Korda in the fourth round of Roland Garros in 2020.

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Eighth seed Casper Ruud is the next highest-ranked player in Nadal’s quarter, which also features 10th seed Jannik Sinner, 13th seed Denis Shapovalov and big-serving American Reilly Opelka. Crafty Briton Daniel Evans is the first seeded opponent Rafa could play.

Wild card Nick Kyrgios is also in Nadal’s quarter, but on the opposite half. The Australian begins his American swing against Argentine Sebastian Baez, who competed in Milan last year.

Second seed Novak Djokovic was drawn to face 2017 Nitto ATP Finals runner-up David Goffin or Australian Jordan Thompson in the second round. The Serbian began his season in Dubai, where he lost in the quarter-finals against Czech lefty Jiri Vesely.

Former World No. 1 Andy Murray, who received a wild card, will play a qualifier in the first round for the right to challenge dangerous shotmaker Alexander Bublik, the 31st seed. Third seed Alexander Zverev will face Dimitrov or American Tommy Paul in the second round.

Before they get down to the serious business of competing for the BNP Paribas Open title, ATP Tour stars including Stefanos Tsitsipas and World No. 1 Daniil Medvedev are early this week suiting up for the annual ATP photo shoot on the grounds of the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

Held in recent years at the Australian Open, the shoot was postponed last year due to Covid-19. So players are sporting extra wide smiles with their new kits this week as they join their WTA colleagues in preening for photographic, video and social media content. About 150 players will participate across four days.

An early arrival in Indian Wells, Tsitsipas was among the first players in front of the cameras Monday, along with Hubert Hurkacz, Jannik Sinner, Taylor Fritz and Alex de Minaur. WTA stars on deck Monday included Naomi Osaka, Simona Halep, Garbine Muguruza and Ajla Tomljanovic.

Medvedev will head ATP players on duty Tuesday, joining the likes of Andrey Rublev, Andy Murray, Grigor Dimitrov, Carlos Alcaraz, Gael Monfils and Nick Kyrgios.

Main-draw play at the BNP Paribas Open begins Thursday. Due to the pandemic, this is the first time since 2019 that the tournament has been held in its traditional March dates. Medvedev leads 19 of the World’s Top 20 players in action.

Thanasi Kokkinakis’ struggles with injury and illness have been well-covered. The Australian has admitted there have been plenty of doubts about whether he would ever reach his potential.

But with the biggest breakthrough of his career in January — winning his first ATP Tour singles title in Adelaide and triumphing in the Australian Open doubles with Nick Kyrgios — Kokkinakis has changed the narrative.

“I proved that the mind is probably the most important thing. Obviously you’ve got to have some skill and a work ethic to balance it out, but if you’re strong with your mind and you keep pushing, you never know,” Kokkinakis told ATPTour.com. “The fortunate thing with tennis is you’re only a week away from turning your career around, so that’s the biggest thing.”

^{Thanasi Kokkinakis celebrates his first ATP Tour singles title in Adelaide. Photo Credit: Tennis Australia.}
Kokkinakis first cracked the Top 100 in the ATP Rankings in May of 2015, just after his 19th birthday. But since then, the Australian has had his fair share of ups and downs, suffering injuries to his shoulder, abdominal and pectoral just to name a few. He also missed all of 2020 due to mono.

Last year, Kokkinakis mostly spent his days on the ATP Challenger Tour. He began this season at World No. 171.

“It seemed far even in December,” Kokkinakis said of a big breakthrough. “I knew I was capable of winning a couple of matches. I knew what I could play like [at my] top level, but to back it up and have that consistency, that’s been the most impressive part.”

Now Kokkinakis is back in the Top 100 for the first time in six years and he will look to continue his surge at the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells. The fan favourite believes there is a lesson others can take from his journey.

“I think it’s just not going to happen overnight. There are a lot of steps that need to be done and keeping the faith, keeping the hope a little bit [is important],” Kokkinakis said. “It can seem very, very far away, but a lot of the time if you put some good days together, some good weeks and some good months together and keep going slowly, that’s the way forward.

“Hopefully they saw the story of what the past few years have been like for me and if that gives them some positivity, that’s perfect for me.”

^{Thanasi Kokkinakis and Nick Kyrgios lift the Australian Open doubles trophy. Photo Credit: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images.}
The 25-year-old has had little time to celebrate. Kokkinakis departed Australia on 1 March. He was able to enjoy himself by taking in a basketball game between the Miami Heat and Brooklyn Nets, later catching up with Nets player Patty Mills, who is also Australian. But after tournaments in Delray Beach and Acapulco, he is back to business.

“There’s not really much time to reset as a tennis player. For something that big to happen to me in January, a lot of other sports that’s like winning the championship, you have a lot of time off and celebrate for a while, refresh and go again,” Kokkinakis said. “In tennis you don’t really have much time for that and if you do, you risk getting left behind. That’s the tricky thing. I’ve just got to find a way and get myself going again.”

Kokkinakis admitted that there “definitely feels like a weight off my shoulders” following his big effort Down Under. But with that, there is extra pressure, which is something he eventually wanted. The World No. 94 understands every week will likely not be as successful as his runs in Adelaide and Melbourne, but that will not stop him from trying.

“I think you want to make the most of the opportunity I’ve given myself. You want to see how far you can push it,” Kokkinakis said. “It was a little tough trying to get myself going again after the January I had. I felt like I was playing for a whole month every day, every other day. [It is about] trying to get myself mentally into a spot where i’m like, ‘Hang on, there’s a lot more work to do’ and try to get the most out of myself.”

One of the most difficult things for Kokkinakis was actually leaving Australia. He returned home last November, but said during the preseason it is tough to spend quality time with friends and family because of training. Although it was tough for him to head back on the road, he hopes to make the most of his momentum.

“It’s been a pretty crazy start to the year,” Kokkinakis said. “It’s not something I expected, but it’s definitely something I worked really hard for.”