What is USTA Connect?
USTA Connect is a new initiative aimed at connecting key members of the tennis industry in the U.S. in an effort to increase industry collaboration to provide insights and services.
USTA Connect will focus on creating greater integration and communication for tennis facilities, industry software providers, industry associations, retailers and manufacturers to facilitate connectivity to grow the game at all levels.
“The goal of USTA Connect is to create greater synergies for all those in the tennis industry and to use data in a way that will help connect players, providers, facilities, management systems for all those involved in the sport in the U.S.,” Craig Morris, Chief Executive, Community Tennis, USTA, said. “We want the USTA to be a resource for all of tennis. By offering greater access to play opportunities, while at the same time helping those offering these services to do so in a more effective and financially beneficial manner, we are doing just that.”
A number of key partners across different areas of the tennis industry have already signed on to work together via USTA Connect to fuel innovation and grow tennis, with more entities expected to join in the future. These USTA Connect partners include:
CourtReserve
Impact Team Tennis (ITT)
Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA)
International Tennis Federation (ITF)
Scala Sports
Tennis-Point
Tennisrecruiting.net
Data and technology are at the center of USTA Connect. Participating partners will benefit from data analysis and insights designed to build efficiencies and drive better business decisions.
One of the highlights of USTA Connect is the ability for approved partners to access the ITF World Tennis Number (WTN). Developed by the ITF and free to all players in the U.S, WTN is one of the most advanced and accurate rating systems in the world, and all players in the U.S. who play in a USTA event are automatically assigned a WTN, at no cost.
Ashley Owens, co-founder of CourtReserve, shared excitement for the partnership and called it a "game-changer."
“Pulling together so many different parts of the tennis industry to help everyone get smarter about how to grow the game will be a game-changer for our client facilities and everyone looking to drive more tennis play," Owens said.
For more information on USTA Connect, please visit usta.com/ustaconnect or contact ustaconnect@usta.com.