In brief
Kazakhstan’s tennis federation, led by former player Dias Doskarayev, reports a surge in courts and coaches, and introduces prospects such as Amir Omarkhanov and Zangar Nurlanuly as part of a broader program to produce home‑grown players.
Xinhua reports that Kazakhstan’s tennis federation now sees a new generation of native players, Amir Omarkhanov and Zangar Nurlanuly, as the latest hope for the nation’s quest to field its own elite competitors.
Doskarayev—a former player turned vice‑president of the Kazakhstan Tennis Federation—recalls the sport’s early hardships. "We would wake up at 5:30 because we were only allowed to play from 7 a.m. till 9 a.m." he said at the ATP Almaty Open last month.
The quote illustrates the limited facilities that once plagued the country; only two outdoor courts in Shymkent, and a pay‑per‑use system that could set families back 150 U.S. dollars per hour. Today, the federation boasts 412 courts across 19 regions and 700 certified coaches, according to Doskarayev.
Since businessman Bulat Utemuratov took the helm in 2007, KTF has organized roughly 300 national tournaments and more than 50 international events each year. A national academy opened in Astana in 2008, linking hopefuls from every corner of the country. The federation now lists monthly junior lessons at 50‑60 dollars, a substantial drop from its childhood costs. These metrics reflect a 15‑fold increase in monthly participants over the past decade.
"Elena Rybakina and Alexander Bublik were produced abroad before switching allegiance," Doskarayev said, acknowledging that much of Kazakhstan’s recent prominence came from naturalized players. "The next phase is to achieve that success through domestically trained talent," he added.
Observers say the project’s progression will be measured by the number of Kazakh players qualifying for Grand Slam events in the coming years. While some critics note that the country still relies on foreign coaching academies to elevate skill levels, the federation maintains that future collaboration will be integrated within the national framework.
Partnerships with overseas academies—most notably the Chinese Tennis Development Programme—have reportedly modernized coaching at national centers. Doskarayev said such collaborations "helped raise the standards of local coaching and competition."
In addition to domestic tournaments, the federation has begun low‑cost outreach clinics in rural towns, aimed at expanding participation beyond the capital’s elite sports clubs. A joint venture with the China Tennis Association brought modern training equipment to remote regions and helped train 120 new volunteer coaches.
If the current trend holds, Kazakhstan may become a new source of rising stars on the ATP circuit by 2030.
