(ATR) Dave Haggerty easily wins a second term as president of the International Tennis Federation.
Haggerty polled 60 percent of the vote in the first round of the election at the ITF general assembly in Lisbon. He faced challenges from three other candidates.
"I am pleased and proud to have a mandate of over 60 percent, Haggerty tells Around the Rings. "I think it’s a vote of confidence in the work we’ve done in transforming the ITF," he says.
Anil Khanna from India picked up 21 percent of the vote, followed by Dave Miley with 11 percent and Ivo Kaderka of Czech Republic with about eight percent.
Haggerty is the only U.S. citizen to hold the presidency of an Olympic sports federation. His reelection was supported with lobbying by the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee which is now looking for other opportunities to placeAmericans into IF leadership.
"It is an honor to have the support of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee. It has such long arms to reach around the world. And the U.S. Tennis Association, where I was president. They are two great organizations who helped," says Haggerty.
He says his second term will follow the path begun in the 2024 strategy formed when he took office in 2015. He says implementing the changes to the Davis Cup and Federations Cup will be key tasks. Growing revenue for the national tennis associations will be a result of these and other changes.
"It’s very exciting to have the confidence of the AGM for a new term. This brings certainty where there was uncertainty," he says.
The election did open the door for criticism of Haggerty in the run up to the vote. He says he welcomes the input.
"Every day we learn. I’ve learned a lot in the past four years," Haggerty says.
"It takes courage to change."
Reported by Ed Hula.
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