Mission, History & Strategy


What is the Ontario Tennis Association?

The Ontario Tennis Association (OTA) is the provincial sport governing body for tennis in Ontario. It is a non-profit organization, incorporated under the Corporation Act. It is the largest provincial tennis association in Canada, boasting 250 clubs and approximately 65,000 adult and child tennis players.

The OTA aims to make tennis more accessible for all Ontarians and to provide a structure of services which will assist players to reach a level of competence consistent with their personal goals and abilities.

The strength of the OTA is seen in both its sheer numbers and exposure to every corner of the province, and for the creation and maintenance of an atmosphere of unlimited tennis opportunities for players of all levels, from grassroots to national caliber athletes.

View our 2022-25 Strategic Plan

 

Mission Statement

The Ontario Tennis Association promotes participation in tennis as part of a healthy lifestyle and encourages the pursuit of excellence for all players.

 

History

The roots of the OTA date back to 1890, when the first official Canadian men’s singles championships was played at the Toronto Lawn Tennis Club, September 2nd to 6th, with American E.E. Tanner of Buffalo, NY, taking the title.

The Ontario Tennis Association was founded at a meeting of tennis enthusiasts in Barrie, in 1918, as the Ontario Lawn Tennis Association. Colonel Blackstock, Jack Boys, Garnet Meldrum and Jack Little, all well known tennis figures, were present. In 1919, the first Annual General Meeting was held and Blackstock was elected the association’s first president.

In 1974, the OTA established ten regions throughout the province to administrate tennis programs at the local level and coordinate their own individual boards.

Past Presidents of the OTA:
Year
OTA President
1919 Colonel Blackstock
1920-47 Jack Little, Walter Burns, Ed Condon, Mel Brock
1948-52 Jack Little
1953-56 J. Stafford, H. Beck
1956-58 Lorne Main
1958-59 Jim Bentley
1959-61 Frank Dimock
1961-62 Roy Mansell
1962-66 Zouch Palmer
1966-70 Ross Brown
1970-73 Lawrence Strong
1973-76 Klaus Bindhardt
1976-79 Dieter Wolff
1979-82 Jim Lewis
1982-84 Steve Stevens
1985-86 James Varley
1987-89 Gus Daal
1990-93 Tony Schafer
1994-95 Oluf Lauridsen
1995-99 Pam Olley
1999-2001 Stan Hannaford
2001-05 Malcolm Still
2005-07 Keith Porter
2007-12 Michel Lecavalier
2012-16 Scott Fraser
2017-2020 Rob Nicholls
2021-Present Dianne Weatherby