The positive affect of Canada's Billie Jean King Cup win in 2023 can already be seen in tennis registration numbers across the country.
Tennis Canada issued an impact report ahead of International Women's Day on Saturday that shows it has made significant strides in the first two years of its five-year plan to improve gender equality in the sport. That includes 50 per cent of the participants in Tennis Canada's under-12 program identifying as girls, up from 35 per cent in 2022.
"When your women have success, it inspires more girls to pick up a racket," said Eva Havaris, Tennis Canada's senior vice president of tennis development and partnerships. "Our women winning the Billie Jean King Cup and then, we as the national federation with our provincial and territorial tennis associations, we did a coast-to-coast-to-coast tour to celebrate that win and that achievement.
"We took the trophy around the country, we also ran activations, competitions, invited girls that are in the sport to come and celebrate -- and to participate."
Canada defeated Italy 2-0 in Seville, Spain, on Nov. 12, 2023 to win its first-ever title in the international women's team tennis tournament. That momentous victory came within the first year of Tennis Canada’s five-year commitment to improving gender equity.
"This is a sport that has this ability to attract girls, to come and participate and stay in the sport," said Havaris. "We've been very intentional about attracting new girls to the sport, we've been intentional about the girls that are out there already playing and encouraging them to bring a friend."
But the "Game.Set.Equity." commitment, presented by National Bank, goes beyond participation numbers.
The national sports body reports that it has also surpassed the gender parity baseline of having at least 40 per cent of its leadership team be female.
Tennis Canada's board of directors is now 50 per cent women, up from 31 per cent in 2022. Its senior management team is now 63 per cent women, up from 17 per cent two years ago.
"If you want to create that kind of change, if you believe in championing diversity at your leadership table, at your executive table, that it makes you a better team and makes you a better organization, you can make that change," said Havaris, who joined Tennis Canada in 2021. "It's as simple as the leaders at the top saying 'we are going to hire women, we're going to look for board members to make sure that we have that balance within our board, within our committees.'
"I was so proud to join this organization because I knew very quickly that there was such a commitment to it. When you're very committed to it and very intentional, you can actually make it happen pretty easily."
The report also notes that the National Bank Open presented by Rogers — the only ATP and WTA tournaments in Canada — will have equal prize money for the men’s and women’s events by 2027.
Another highlight of the report is that nearly $200,000 has been distributed by Tennis Canada and National Bank through community tennis grants to 33 unique organizations with more than 2,500 women and girls directly benefiting from the funding.
Also, the report notes that since 2022 women officials obtained eight ITF certifications. That includes Anne Bees, who became the first Canadian woman to obtain the high-level certification of the ITF Gold Badge Referee in 2024.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 7, 2025.
John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press
