Tennis Australia has denied that the sudden resignations of one-third of its board, including its only two female directors, are connected to the match fixing controversy or has any whiff of gender bias, while declining to explain the reasons behind the shock multiple departures.

Stressing that board confidentiality rendered him unable to discuss the background to the exits last Friday of long-serving director Dr Janet Young and more recent additions Kerryn Pratt and Peter Armstrong, Tennis Australia president Steve Healy said he was unable to reveal the reasons behind the dramatic political ructions at board level.

In a statement released by Tennis Australia, Healy thanked the trio for their service, and said: "I also must state unequivocally that this is completely unrelated to current media reports on corruption in tennis. This has nothing to do with that issue."

Later, on the gender issue complicated by state government plans to require sporting associations and peak bodies to fill at least 40 per cent of their board positions with women or miss out on funding, Healy said the fact that both women on the board were among the three to resign was coincidental.

"There are men who are also gone, and diversity is a key for us, that will be dealt with as a part of the board renewal," he told Fairfax Media. "There is no doubt in my mind that we will have at least two female directors in the next round, and our goal is to increase that."