The International Tennis Federation (ITF) is the world governing body of tennis, one of the few truly global sports. The objective of the ITF is to further grow and develop the sport worldwide, to develop the game at all levels at all ages for both able-bodied and disabled men and women, to make, amend and uphold the rules of the game, to promote the International Team Championships and competitions of the ITF, to preserve the integrity and independence of tennis as a sport, and to perform all without discrimination on grounds of colours, race, nationality, ethnic or national origin, age, sex or religion.

In order to achieve its objective of promoting and developing the game of tennis, the ITF oversees the following five areas of the sport:

- Administration and Regulation
- Organizing international competitions
- Structuring the game by sanctioning international circuits and events (includes the ITF Junior Circuit, ITF Men's Circuit, ITF Women's Circuit, ITF Seniors Events, the NEC Wheelchair Tennis Tour and the Hopman Cup)
- Developing the game through its worldwide development programme
- Promoting the game

The ITF member nations come from every continent and each association is involved in organizing tennis and promoting the interests of the game.