The WTA Foundation and Nino Severino, chairman of The Elena Baltacha Foundation, have built a truly special relationship. Reflecting on this partnership, Nino shared:
“From the very first day I lost Elena, Anne Austin from the WTA Foundation was there for me, constantly reaching out, offering support, and helping me through an incredibly difficult time. Over the years, that support has only grown. Through the ‘Come Play’ programme and the generous sponsorship of Morgan Stanley, the WTA Foundation has contributed $75,000 to our initiatives, many of which serve disadvantaged and deprived communities across our network. Over the past three years, it has been a real privilege tobe part of the Come Play events in London at the NTC in Roehampton, made even more special by the presence of our former patron of 12 years, Judy Murray, who led the sessions.
I will never be able to thank them enough for the impact they’ve had, not only on me personally, but also on the work and mission of our foundation.”
Nino Severino with Ann Austin at the Come Play event
The WTA Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), created to leverage the global reach and influence of professional women’s tennis to empower girls and women worldwide. Its work is built around several key pillars, equality, education, leadership, and health & wellness, with an overarching mission to ensure that women and girls everywhere can live fully and succeed.
Key Initiatives & Campaigns
One of the Foundation’s current flagship efforts is Women Change the Game, launched in partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. This campaign aims to make women’s health and nutrition a global priority.
Within that campaign, the Global Women’s Health Fund plays a central role. It was established in 2024 with a substantial initial donation ($1.5 million) from Hologic. Its first-year goal: to provide prenatal vitamins to at least one million women in low- and middle-income countries.
The Fund partners with UNICEF, specifically supporting the Child Nutrition Fund and the Maternal Nutrition Acceleration Plan to deliver essential nutritional products, especially Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS), to pregnant women who often lack access to these vital resources.
Images from The come Play Events, sponsored by Morgan Stanley
Why This Matters
- Many women in low- and middle-income countries suffer from malnutrition and lack access to prenatal vitamins and other life-essential health & wellness services.
- Prenatal vitamins are a relatively low-cost intervention with high potential payoff: they can reduce risks of infant mortality, stillbirth, and complications for both mother and child.
- The gap in women’s health metrics, where women live longer but often spend a much larger portion of their lives in poor health compared to men, is also a motivator for the Foundation’s work. Addressing nutrition and preventive care early helps to reduce that imbalance.
Some Recent Actions & Engagements
- In March 2025, for International Women’s Day, the Foundation partnered with UNICEF to expand access to prenatal vitamins, aiming to support women globally.
- Events such as “Championing Women’s Health Together” in Riyadh have brought together athletes, healthcare leaders, government representatives, and other stakeholders to raise awareness and collaborate on women’s health issues.
Challenges & Opportunities
While the WTA Foundation has set ambitious goals and already achieved measurable impact, there are longer-term challenges:
- Sustainability: ensuring the interventions (nutrition, health access) are not one-off but are built into local health systems so women have ongoing support.
- Funding & Scale: although $1.5 million is a strong start, reaching many more millions of women globally will require broader funding, partnerships, and awareness.
- Geographic & Cultural Barriers: delivering care, supplements, and programs in remote or under-resourced regions can be logistically and culturally complex.
On the opportunity side, the profile of tennis and its athletes give the Foundation a strong platform; coupled with high-visibility events, media, and global networks, there is real potential to scale up awareness, advocacy, and funding.
The WTA Foundation is a significant force in using sport as a vehicle for social change. By focusing on crucial issues like maternal health, nutrition, equality, and education, and collaborating with major partners (like Gates Foundation, UNICEF, Hologic), it seeks to translate the power and visibility of women’s tennis into tangible improvements in the lives of girls and women around the world.
Marion Bartoli Role as a “Game Changer” and links with the WTA
Marion Bartoli was named the first Game Changer for the WTA Foundation’s joint campaign Women Change the Game, launched in partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. In that role she serves as an ambassador: she helps draw attention to the Foundation’s goals, actively takes part in its initiatives, and uses her profile and networks to promote their mission.
Initiatives / Events Involvement
Marion supports the Global Women’s Health Fund, a program under Women Change the Game aimed at improving women’s health through better nutrition, especially prenatal vitamins for women in low- and middle-income countries.
At the WTA Foundation event in Riyadh (“Championing Women’s Health Together”), Bartoli appeared as one of the former players and WTA Legends highlighting the need for maternal and child health and nutrition. She co-authored an op-ed (with Anita Zaidi of the Gates Foundation) calling on Europe (specifically France in that instance) to contribute to global efforts against malnutrition ahead of the Nutrition for Growth 2025 conference.
Why Her Involvement Matters
Bartoli’s public profile as a former Grand Slam champion and French tennis icon gives the campaign visibility. Her personal perspective as a mother helps connect the work to real-life experiences and gives authenticity to the focus on maternal health.
