The International Tennis Federation, one of the sport's global governing bodies, on Thursday announced that it would change its name next year to World Tennis.
Initially formed in Paris in 1913 as the International Lawn Tennis Federation, it changed its name to the shorter ITF in 1977.
"The name change is designed to better reflect the organization's role as the sport's global governing body and guardian," the ITF said in a statement, adding that it had been adopted by an "overwhelming majority" in a vote amongst its member national tennis associations.
The move follows similar ones in others sports where the governing bodies changed their names, such as World Athletics and World Aquatics, AFP reported.
The ITF is in charge of organizing the Olympic tennis tournament, the Davis Cup and the Billie Jean King Cup.
It is one of seven governing bodies in international tennis, alongside the ATP, which runs the men's circuit, the WTA, which does likewise for women's tournaments, and the organizers of the four Grand Slams: Wimbledon, Roland Garros, the US Open and the Australian Open.
"This evolution follows extensive consultation across the global tennis community and reflects our shared ambition to strengthen, unify and grow the game worldwide," said ITF president David Haggerty in the statement.
