Pacific Oceania has a strong junior touring program supported by the ITF through Grand Slam Player Development Pathway (GSPDP) Oceania Tennis Federation (OTF) grants, however, when players turn 18, they are no longer eligible for the GSPDP touring grants to tour as part of the Pacific Oceania Junior Touring Program. This grant intends to target and support players at a crucial time when they are trying to transition into becoming a professional athlete. It is funded by the Australian Government as part of the Pacific Women and Girls in Tennis Program.
Deadline:
The deadline for the grant application is 1 July 2024.
Applications are to be submitted to Isabelle Gemmel at Tennis Australia, email: igemmel@tennis.com.au
Eligibility considerations:
- The grant is aimed at high-performance players aged between 18 to 25 years, playing ITF Women’s World Tennis Tour events, and the WTA tour events, either Singles and/or Doubles.
- Players must hold the nationality of one of the following countries: Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu.
- Players need be listed on the tours as playing under their country’s Pacific flag, should have played and achieved significant results at one of the following competitions in the past 3 years: the Pacific Games, Mini Games, Nations Cup or Oceania Championships (when reinstated).
- Prior representation of Pacific Oceania at the Billie Jean King Cup will be seen as an advantage when grants are awarded by the selection panel.
- Upon successfully becoming a recipient of funding, the funds must be acquitted to specific events such as help with air fares, accommodation, entry fees, stringing, physiotherapy cost at tournaments (not out of competition) and other tournament related expenses. Receipts will be required for all claims.
- Only directly player related expenses will be covered. Cost of expenses for coaches, managers and parents cannot form part of the claimed expenses.
- Successful recipients can claim funds retrospectively for ITF WTT/WTA Tour events that they played in the period of September 2023 until June 2024. As well as for tournaments that they will be playing between July and August 2024.
- Successful recipients of funding have to be available for promotional activities for the Australian Government and Tennis Australia.
Please note the application deadline:
The deadline for the grant application is 1 July 2024.
Applications are to be submitted to Isabelle Gemmel at Tennis Australia, email: igemmel@tennis.com.au