THE LAWN Tennis Association (LTA) has announced the next step in its work to drive forward inclusion and diversity in tennis, with the recruitment of a new group of almost 50 people from across all areas of the sport, who will advise and allow the governing body to draw on their diverse range of views and experiences.

Called the IDEA Group, standing for inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility, it brings together LTA colleagues with diverse representatives from across the tennis community, including players, coaches, officials, volunteers and fans. 

The group includes people who have had a wide range of lived experiences, positive and negative, around inclusion and diversity in tennis, and who want to contribute their voice and their views to help the sport continue its progress.

The formation of the group is the latest in a series of actions the LTA is implementing ahead of the publication of its new inclusion and diversity strategy for tennis later this year. 

It follows the open letters published by LTA Chief Executive Scott Lloyd last year that made a clear commitment that the governing body for tennis would firstly listen, and then put in place the actions needed to effect real change as part of its drive to open tennis up. The majority of IDEA Group members were among those who responded to the open invite in those letters to get in touch and share their views.

Alongside the formation of the IDEA Group, the LTA has already announced steps to enhance its governance and leadership, with processes currently underway to recruit new members of both the LTA Council and LTA Board who can positively contribute to the diversity of thoughts, ideas and approaches to achieving the vision of Tennis Opened Up.

Meanwhile, members of the new IDEA Group have already come together through a series of three focus groups held before and after Christmas, with the output of these sessions and the views and thoughts raised by members being used by the LTA to help shape the new inclusion and diversity strategy for tennis.

The group will have the opportunity to play a role in helping to ensure inclusion and diversity is kept at the heart of the sport, in line with the LTA’s vision and work to open up tennis so it can be played by anyone, no matter their age, background or ability. 

The group will also act as a vehicle for change, helping to shape and drive forward the implementation of the LTA’s forthcoming strategy, and checking and challenging its work in this area.

Kate Maurici, Co-Director of Sheen Parks Tennis and IDEA group member said: “I put my name forward for the IDEA group because I saw it as an opportunity to use my experience of delivering Community Tennis to make a difference to a wider group across the country and ask difficult questions, challenging the current status quo. I would like to see the group help to implement some innovative and effective changes to tennis, opening it up further to under-represented groups.”

Fellow group member and tennis coach Miles Daley, said: “I want to help create a more diverse tennis culture within the UK. The BLM movement highlighted the reality of the struggles that many ethnic minorities face in everyday life, and if we are striving to make change within our society, our sports need to follow suit.

“I feel as though through my experiences as a player and coach, I could be a voice within a group of people to help move tennis in Britain forward, and towards making positive changes that benefit more people.”

Lawn Tennis Association brings together a diverse group of people

Vicky Williams, LTA People Director, said: “We are really excited to have been able to bring together such a fantastic and diverse group of people to form the IDEA Group, and we’d like to thank everyone who has volunteered to be part of it. 

“We are steadfast in our commitment to listen to people who have views to express and experiences to share, and establishing this group is a clear demonstration of that. 

“It is great to hear the positive feedback we have had from group members on the sessions we have already held, which from our perspective proved to be both incredibly inspiring and valuable in helping us to develop our forthcoming inclusion and diversity strategy.”