Wet Asia/Oceania Pre-Qualifying expected
by Ting Tieng Hee. Posted on February 20, 2012, Monday
ANY DOUBTS?: Suresh (second right) responds to a query by the UAE captain while on his left is organising chairman and SLTA president Dato Patrick Liew and on his right is Nitin.
KUCHING: Tournament officials of the Asia/Oceania Pre-Qualifying for ITF World Junior Tennis Competition, Junior Davis Cup and Junior Fed Cup are not too optimistic about a smooth schedule of matches for the three-in-one events.
This is because they are expecting rain from today until the completion of the competition this Saturday.
The Malaysian Meteorological Department has also forecast that there will be rain this afternoon.
There was also heavy rain last Saturday afternoon and lighter rain yesterday morning.
“The weather does not look promising and we are expecting rain in the next six days of competition,” ITF representative Suresh Menon said during the captains meeting and teams draw at Sarawak Lawn Tennis Association (SLTA) Tennis Complex yesterday.
As such, all players and team captains are urged to be patient and cooperative should there be any change of schedule due to rain.
“We will be using two venues SLTA Tennis Complex and the courts at The Sarawak Club in view of the big number of ties to be played everyday,” added Suresh.
Tournament referee Nitin Kannamwar from India said the day’s matches would start from 8am and players wishing to practise should come at 7am.
Meanwhile, Malaysia, seeded No. 2, have been drawn in group B together with Sri Lanka and Turkmenistan in the Junior Fed Cup (Girls U16) while top seeds China will vie with Vietnam and Iran for one of the spots to the qualifying also to be held here on April 21.
Shouldering the Malaysian challenge are Choo Lyn Yuen, Asli Chua and Alyssa Boey while the team captain is Francis Su.
The Junior Davis Cup (Boys U16) will see top seeds Kazakhstan facing Saudi Arabia and Jordan in group A while group B comprise second seeds Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Iran and third seeds Singapore will have the company of fourth seeds Bangladesh, Bahrain and Turkmenistan.
As for the World Junior Team Boys (U14) event, top seeds Syria is drawn in group A with Saudi Arabia and UAE, second seeds Kazakhstan in group B with Sri Lanka and Vietnam.
Making up of group C are third seeds Singapore, fourth seeds Philippines, Jordan and Turkmenistan.
In the World Junior Team Girls (U14), the teams in group A are top seeds Kazakhstan, third seeds Singapore, Syria and Vietnam.
Group B consists of second seeds Philippines, Iran, Jordan and Turkmenistan.
Today’s matches will start at around 9am after the opening ceremony.
