Bengaluru, February 18 – During his recent visit to Bengaluru for the ongoing ITF Women’s Open W100 Bengaluru 2026, Andrew Moss, Executive Director of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) World Tennis Tour & Data Rights, expressed optimism about the future of tennis in India and its potential to emerge as a tennis powerhouse.
“India is a huge country. It has a rich tennis history, and it has immense potential in terms of skill. This trip has been great for me because we are working with AITA and with the regional state associations to develop plans to further grow the game in the near future. Because there is so much potential, and we want to work with various Indian bodies to truly realize that potential,” he shared after a meeting with the officials.
Moss met with officials from the Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association (KSLTA) to discuss plans to bring more ITF World Tennis Tour events to Bengaluru. The discussions focused on creating additional opportunities for Indian athletes and strengthening the tennis infrastructure in the region.
Praising the SM Krishna Tennis Stadium, Moss said, “This is my second time in Bengaluru. I was here a couple of years ago. It’s great to have the W100 here for the second year. The facilities here are fantastic. I’ve already received excellent feedback from the players about the high standards here. I’m very excited to see this tournament play out this week.”
On the importance of the competition to the broader ecosystem, Moss added, “The World Tennis Tour is the essential pathway – the main artery to the top. Hosting nearly 1,200 tournaments across 75 countries annually, it provides a structured pathway for players to progress from junior and entry-level events to the professional circuit. It’s extremely important that we have tournaments in as many countries as we can.”
In recent months, the SM Krishna Tennis Stadium has hosted several major events, including the Billie Jean King Cup Play-offs, the Davis Cup Qualifiers Round 1, and multiple ITF competitions.
Moss spoke about the importance of international team events in building interest in the sport, referring to India’s exploits in the Davis Cup Qualifiers Round 1 earlier in the month as an example.
“When you have a team competition, you have players representing their countries. And as you saw just a couple of weeks back, it means players do extraordinary things when they’re playing for their country. A wonderful atmosphere, and from everything that I’ve been told and everything I can see, it follows a run of events here that are really starting to be a catalyst for more interest in tennis here. So, I think they’re fundamental to the growth of tennis in emerging countries,” he explained.
