Former WTA CEO Anne Worcester has signed on as president of Universal Tennis.

Universal Tennis, which bills itself as the world’s premier tennis platform, announced the former Connecticut Open tournament director will oversee the growth and development of UTR worldwide.

More: Best of RG Social Media

At the core is the Universal Tennis Rating (UTR Powered by Oracle), which reflects players' current skill level based on actual performance.

Beyond her leadership, Worcester's focus at the outset will be on increasing grassroots efforts to connect communities to the sport and fostering diverse partnerships within the tennis ecosystem to build participation on the platform.

“What drew me to Universal Tennis is its digitally savvy approach to make tennis more affordable, accessible and fun for all players,” said Worcester. “Level-based play helps to break down some of the biggest barriers to our sport, so that it’s not about age, gender, where you play or how much you can afford. UTR makes it easy to find, connect and play with same level tennis partners, anytime and anywhere. This addresses many of the challenges I have experienced all my life as a recreational player, a parent and 35 years on all sides of professional tennis.”

Worcester has over 35 years of experience as a tennis industry insider, working with players, tournaments, sponsors and governing bodies. She was the first female CEO of the WTA, becoming the first woman to head any professional sports organization. Worcester served as the tournament director of the Connecticut Open for 21 years, developing the WTA tournament into one of the world’s best attended women’s tennis events and a player favorite.

“Anne has an exceptional career in tennis, marked by her commitment to improving the game for players and serving as a champion for tennis worldwide. Her dedication to the betterment and growth of the sport is unparalleled,” said Mark Leschly, Universal Tennis Chairman & CEO. “Anne is fully aligned with UTR’s mission and vision to create more opportunities and open pathways for players of all levels to grow the game. We are thrilled to have Anne on board.”

Worcester co-founded New Haven Youth Tennis & Education (New HYTEs), now in its 15th year, which has enriched the lives and positively affected the futures of hundreds of economically disadvantaged inner city youth. Programs include year-round tennis, education and mentoring.

Photo credit: Connecticut Open Facebook