LTA to support British women's tennis players' health
The programme has been designed to address specific challenges female athletes face, offering targeted interventions and expert guidance, led by LTA Chief Medical Officer Dr Guy Evans.
Examples include offering medical screenings to all professional players supported via the LTA Player Pathway.
These screenings are tailored around female health and menstrual cycles, and gives the athletes access to specialised medical support tailored to their physical reproductive health needs.
A podcast series has been launched featuring discussions with leading experts to highlight and educate critical female health issues that impact elite athletes.
DEXA scanning (Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry) has been introduced to assess bone mineral density, providing vital data on injury prevention and energy balance (Image: LTA)
Pioneering research into understanding and mitigating health risks for female athletes has also been announced as well as a Pregnancy and Maternity Policy – the first of its kind in British tennis – to support players through pregnancy and postpartum recovery.
LTA National Coach and former British No.1 Katie O'Brien said: 'The sporting health of our athletes is significantly important to us since this is awareness of female health has been growing massively in recent years since I was a player.
'We would like to thank Dr. Guy Evans for his leadership in driving work forward so we are able to support our British female players the best that we can and help them achieve their best performance.'
In late 2024, the LTA launched a Breast Health and Bra Fitting Service for female players, highlighting the importance of wearing a correctly fitted sports bra for both performance and breast health.
For the past two years, the LTA has hosted the UK Sports Gynaecology Conference at the National Tennis Centre, bringing together chief medical officers, gynaecological surgeons, and sports science experts to discuss and advance female athlete health.
The 2025 event saw over 50 industry leaders gather in Roehampton, tackling issues such as low energy availability, gender-specific concerns in sport, and effective medical strategies for female athletes.
Dr Evans added: 'These conferences provide a dedicated forum to discuss the care of elite female athletes across sports and disciplines. It allows sharing of knowledge, open discussion and healthy debate ensuring we provide optimal care for our female athletes. The conferences shine a light on some of the key topical issues such as low energy availability, sex and gender related issues in sport, and effective strategic planning related to the female athlete with the sporting setting.'
Through these innovative and tailored initiatives, the LTA is setting new standards for female athlete health and support in tennis. By addressing medical needs, providing essential education, prioritising nutrition, and driving research, the LTA is empowering female athletes to thrive both on and off the court.
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