In brief
Kazakhstan’s tennis federation has opened the doors to 412 courts and 700 coaches, targeting a shift from expatriate‑born champions to homegrown players. With a national academy in Astana and an increased tournament schedule, officials are watching prospects Amir Omarkhanov and Zangar Nurlanuly rise as the next phase of the program takes shape. Success remains a work in progress, as the country balances legacy stars with a new grassroots pipeline.
Almaty, Kazakhstan – The country’s tennis federation, led by vice president and acting CEO Dias Doskarayev, announced that it now operates 412 courts and 700 qualified coaches across 19 regions, a sharp rise from the 55 courts and 20 coaches of two decades ago. The move follows a national agenda launched in 2007 by businessman Bulat Utemuratov to build a sustainable, locally‑grown tennis pipeline.
Doskarayev, who grew up in Shymkent with only two outdoor courts, recounted how “there were around 100 kids on two courts” during his childhood. He noted that the cost of court rental had been as high as 150 U.S. dollars an hour; today, regular lessons average 50 to 60 dollars per month, making the sport more affordable for families.
"We would wake up at 5:30 because we were only allowed to play from 7 a.m. till 9 a.m.," Doskarayev told Xinhua on the sidelines of last month’s ATP Almaty Open.
Under the federation’s current plan, more than 300 national tournaments and over 50 international events are held annually. A national academy opened in Astana in 2008, collecting promising youngsters from across the country and partnering with overseas academies to elevate coaching standards.
While the country’s rise to prominence has largely been credited to Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina and ATP star Alexander Bublik—players who were born or trained abroad—Kazakhstan now turns to its new prospects, Amir Omarkhanov and Zangar Nurlanuly. The federation believes these players signal the beginning of a homegrown era that could shift the balance of talent toward those nurtured within the nation itself.
Although the investment and infrastructure expansion are clear, the long‑term success of producing elite professionals remains an unconfirmed outcome, pending the progress of these junior stars on the ATP Tour.
