The president of the Asian Tennis Federation is calling for the ITF to hold its own Grand Slam-type event to finance player development in its member countries.
This would spread the game internationally, Anil Khanna, ATF president, was reported as saying by the *Gulf News*.
"The ITF is not a financially successful body. Right now it is not making a surplus, at best it is making $500,000 a year and our development expenses have gone down significantly to what it was 10 years ago,” he said, speaking in Dubai at the ITF annual general meeting.
"So basically what the ATF is telling the ITF is that it must make a profit of $50 million, like the Grand Slams are making a profit of $100 million, at least for the sake of it’s 210 member nations, so that it can have worldwide development. This can be generated through its own Grand Slam-like tournament, a two-week event which can be called the ITF World Championship. Even if the ITF can make even $50 million, we will be happy.
"That money will not belong to one nation it will belong to 201 nations. It will be money well spent in Asia, in Africa, in Central America, in South America. Today we find tennis getting centered around only Europe making it is easier for Europe-based players to succeed."
He also criticized a move to give a Grand Slam country 15 votes, 12 more than smaller nations.
In a separate announcement, the ITF said that the Grand Slams were increasing their contribution to the ITF through the Grand Slam Development Fund to $2 million a year.