David Haggerty is seeking a second term as ITF President ©ITF

The four candidates seeking the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Presidency have made their final pitches to voting members prior to tomorrow’s vote here.

Incumbent David Haggerty, India’s ITF vice-president Anil Khanna, Ireland’s Dave Miley and the Czech Republic’s Ivo Kaderka each had 10 minutes to pitch their vision at the governing body’s Annual General Meeting.

Haggerty pledged to continue "strong and trusted leadership" should he be re-elected.

The American has vowed to review the governance structure of the organisation, which could see the establishment of a taskforce to recommend structural changes.

This could include a potential splitting of the role of the President, while an alternative structure could be introduced over where the ITF is based.

ITF Limited is currently a Bahamas-based company, while the ITF's headquarters are located in London.

Increased revenues for ITF members has also been promised, with reforms to the Fed Cup next year expected to contribute.

It is claimed this would follow the restructure of the Davis Cup, pushed through by Haggerty, which has claims has helped increase resources.

Haggerty has pledged to increase development funding to an $18 million (£14.5 million/€16.5 million) investment worldwide annually, rising from the current figure of $12 million (£10 million/€11 million).

The $12 million figure is claimed to be double the development funds provided by the ITF when Haggerty assumed leadership of the world governing body in 2015.

"I now seek your support again to work together to see through to fruition the many changes made in the last four years, as well as these other promises, for the benefit of the ITF and member nations," Haggerty said.

"We have been delivering for nations.

"Many of the programmes are only getting underway, for example, the reformed Davis Cup, the World Tennis Rating and the World Tennis Tour, to name a few.

"While much has been accomplished working together, there is still more looking ahead to do for our beloved sport."

Dave Miley has vowed to reduce the ITF President's salary should he be elected ©Dave Miley
Dave Miley has vowed to reduce the ITF President's salary should he be elected ©Dave Miley

Miley has been the most vocal of Haggerty’s rivals for the top job.

insidethegames understands Miley was contacted by the ITF Ethics Commission over critical comments credited to the Irish official, which appeared in a newspaper.

The ITF Ethics Commission declined to comment when contacted by insidethegames.

Miley, who earlier this week claimed only he or Haggerty could run the ITF, vowed to take a reduced salary should he be elected President tomorrow.

"I have listened to the Presidents that I have met who told me that a salary of $565,000 (£458,000/€516,000) for the ITF President is just too much," he told delegates.

"If elected President, my salary for the post will be reduced to the 2015 level of $440,000 (£356,000/€400,000), with the $125,000 (£101,000/€114,000) annual saving being reinvested into other important areas.

"This is not a token gesture, I do it because it will set a good example and because it is the right thing to do for our organisation."

insidethegames revealed in June that Haggerty’s remuneration was $642,000 (£511,000/€573,000) in 2017.

Haggerty has promised to continue increasing the ITF's development funding if re-elected.

He claimed that he donated his own bonus to the development fund in 2016, 2017 and 2018, and would do so again this year.

Miley reiterated his manifesto pledges to boost the prestige of the ITF and fix the current "broken model", as well as build a greater relationship with the ATP and WTA.

He vowed to work on ensuring ranking points are given to players who compete in the Olympic Games, as well as the Davis and Fed Cup competitions.

While pledging to honour the ITF’s contract with Kosmos Tennis, who manage the tournament’s commercial rights, Miley expressed concern over the proposed revenues.

Anil Khanna has called for a decentralised ITF and vowed to increase prize and development money ©ITG
Anil Khanna has called for a decentralised ITF and vowed to increase prize and development money ©ITG

"On the financial front, ITF reserves have reduced significantly while staff numbers and costs have risen dramatically," he said.

"I keep asking myself ‘If the Davis Cup income from the new format is so great, why is the ITF budgeting only a tiny surplus in 2019?’

"I will respect the contract for Davis Cup and Fed Cup, but work long-term with the top nations, Kosmos, and commercial experts, to consider formats that respect more the tradition and that can generate even more income.

"I will continue the things of the current administration that are good for the nations, such as the ITF global rating and gender equity initiatives, and to increase the development budget and financial support to ITF member nations."

The ITF’s finances were also an area explored by Khanna, who committed to generating a minimum surplus of $10.5 million (£8.5 million/€9.5 million) by the end of next year.

Khanna claimed the ITF should no longer make a loss or break even, declaring profit of 15 per cent of operating revenue to be a must.

He vowed to upgrade ITF Futures tournaments from $15,000 (£12,000/€13,000) to $25,000 (£20,000/€22,000) events to boost the earning capacity of players, while declaring a target of approximately $20 million (£16 million/€18 million) to be distributed to member nations for organising the events.

A proposed "Common Fund" would be established of between $20 million (£16 million/€18 million) to $24 million (£19 million/€22 million), which would consist of a $8 million (£6.4 million/€7.3 million) contribution from the ITF with other tennis bodies also expected to input, Khanna promised.

It is claimed this would provide greater funds for development players on the circuit, enabling them to make a living from the sport.

The ITF vice-president has proposed moving the organisation's holding company offices from the Bahamas to a country in Europe to boost financial transparency.

A further proposal was to decentralise the ITF with regional offices having greater responsibility over commercial activities, with five-member management committees set up in each.

Khanna believes the separation of offices would enhance the profits of the ITF and the subsequent development funding for member associations.

Both Khanna and Miley have proposed the creation of a non-executive chairman role, with a separate chief executive post established with the mandate to secure revenue for the organisation.

Ivo Kaderka believes he can help build relationships between the ITF and professional tours ©Ivo Kaderka
Ivo Kaderka believes he can help build relationships between the ITF and professional tours ©Ivo Kaderka

Candidates have been keen to stress how they could build relationships with the ATP and WTA.

Kaderka, a vice-president of Tennis Europe and head of the Czech Tennis Federation, was among those to highlight the challenge.

He claimed there is a growing disconnect between the ITF, ATP and WTA, which he pledged to help resolve.

"The ITF must be once and for all the major and dominant player on the world tennis map," Kaderka said.

"There should not be any tension or unfriendliness between the ITF, ATP and WTA.

"The task of the ITF and its leadership is to find a way for versatile cooperation in all areas of world tennis including marketing and trade, because this is the only way in which to stabilise the long-term funding of the National Federations.

"And I repeat that no professional tennis, business or commercial success would exist for anybody without the National Federations, which produce the players."

The election is due to take place tomorrow, with the ITF Board also set to be decided.

Kaderka, Khanna and Miley are all standings as candidates for the Board, as well as the Presidency.