Top juniors onsite at Roehampton for another education session

Top international juniors were back at it onsite at Roehampton with the AELTC for another collaborative WTA, ATP and ITF education session in preparation for the Junior Championships, Wimbledon just a few days ago.

Tennis legend, visionary, and social activist Billie Jean King headlined the session with a message to empower the next generation with tools to do better than the one before. The WTA Founder and 39-time Grand Slam Champion encouraged the world's top-ranked juniors to cultivate a winning mindset to set themselves up for future success and highlighted the importance of pre-match rituals and a competitive approach to their tennis careers.

Following her motivational introduction, Billie Jean participated in a highly informative Q&A session with WTA President Micky Lawler, current ATP player Kimmer Coppejans and former ATP player and top junior Nicholas Pereira.

The broad wealth of knowledge and experience among the panel members was on full display as they discussed topics ranging from diversity and inclusion in the sport of tennis to the importance of establishing strong relationships within the industry.

WTA President Micky Lawler, who is among the most successful agents and dealmakers in the business, addressed the value of cultivating a strong reputation both as an athlete and businessperson. Lawler explained the importance of growing partnerships and building relationships with industry leaders as key elements of a professional player’s career.

Pereira, a former ATP World No.74 and winner of the 1988 junior Roland Garros, Wimbledon and US Open, spoke about his life on the ATP Tour and the highs and lows he experienced throughout his career.

Coppejans, the 2012 junior Roland Garros Champion who made his way through qualifying at Roehampton to contest the Wimbledon main draw this week, discussed his transition from the highest levels of junior tennis to the professional game.

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) education team also partook in the session, speaking to the juniors about the value of surrounding themselves with people they can trust and who can help them create a positive culture within their player support teams. Additionally, they highlighted the importance of asking questions related to integrity matters should they arise.

These educational sessions have become commonplace at the highest-level junior events and represent the value key tennis stakeholders place on providing the world's next crop of elite players with practical, in-person education. Ultimately, the biggest takeaway for these young players and their teams is that the off-court development of the person behind the player will drive on-court success.

The next collaborative junior education session will take place at the US Open Junior Championships in September.