Kazakhstan is acing its youth tennis development

Tennis infrastructure

Driven by a deep passion for the sport, in 2007, businessman and philanthropist Bulat Utemuratov became the head of the Kazakhstan Tennis Federation (KTF). Since then, 38 tennis centers have been built across the country, featuring a total of 364 hard and clay courts. Over the past 17 years, total investment has exceeded $150 million.

The KTF has also trained hundreds of coaches and instructors to teach children tennis from an early age. Over the past five years, the number of ITF-certified coaches has nearly doubled to over 400.

Investment in infrastructure has significantly reduced court rental costs, which have dropped from $50 per hour in 2007 to just $10 per hour today. As a result of successful initiatives, such as the Tennis Under 10 program and the Baby Tennis by Lexus program, featuring smaller courts and slower balls, the number of children playing a sport once considered elitist has skyrocketed from 900 to 30,000.

The KTF also regularly organizes training camps for children in various age groups and identifies the most promising players based on their athletic ability, technique and performance in competitions.

The talent funnel

Drawing inspiration from Italy and Canada, the KTF has created a system for identifying talent at every regional tennis center and supporting their development. Additionally, posters featuring the player development pathway achievable for young players are displayed at every center. The KTF has also made significant investment in organizing national and international tournaments within the country.

According to KTF estimates, the cost of training and equipping an athlete aged 9–10 is approximately $3,600 per year. By ages 12–13, as international tournament expenses and additional equipment costs are factored in, annual expenses rise to $14,400 per player. From age 15, personal coaching becomes necessary, pushing yearly costs beyond $40,000 per player.

The KTF oversees, monitors, and approves each player's training and competition schedule. Athletes selected for the KTF 14-and-under targeted program receive federation support, provided they commit to 12–15 hours of tennis training per week, dedicate 5–7 hours to fitness, and compete in at least 60 singles matches annually.

Currently, Kazakhstan provides financial support and supervision for more than 140 players aged 11 to 20. Developing a player to the professional level requires significant financial investment.

To put this into perspective, a CNN report indicates that the British Lawn Tennis Association spends approximately $300,000 to develop a player from childhood until they reach professional status.

The KTF must make similar investments in its most talented young players to prepare them to represent Kazakhstan in professional tennis competitions, including the Davis Cup, the Billie Jean King Cup, the Asian Games, and the Olympics.