The participants posing with tournament organising chairman Gilbert Yeo (second right), Kho (right) and organising committee before the start of the SLTA-Greensports Invitational Juniors Tennis Championship yesterday.
KUCHING: The Sarawak Lawn Tennis Association (SLTA) has commended local sports equipment company Greensports Sdn Bhd for playing an important role in the state’s junior tennis development.
SLTA vice president Dr Wee Thian Yew said the association was very appreciative of Greensports Sdn Bhd’s support in jointly organising the inaugural SLTA-Greensports Invitational Juniors Tennis Championship here from April 24-26.
“We want to work with more companies like Greensports to bring in more junior players to boost our development programme,” he said yesterday.
Wee said SLTA are working closely together with Greensports to hold a series of tournaments in Miri, Bintulu, Kuching and hopefully in Sibu.
“We are also hoping to have more such tournaments to attract more youngsters to take up tennis and stay back in our junior development programme,” he said of the SLTA-Greensports Invitational Juniors Tennis Championship.
According to Wee, the response to the tournament was good, with 78 participants, out of which 38 are from Kuching, 22 from Miri, nine from Bintulu, eight from Sibu and two from Sandakan, Sabah.
The categories competed are Boys/Girls U10, 12, 14, 16 and 18 singles while the doubles are for Boys/Girls U12, 16 and 18.
Meanwhile, Greensports Sdn Bhd owner David Kho said he is happy to be able to contribute to the state junior tennis development.
“We have worked with the Miri Division Lawn Tennis Association to organise the junior tournament for the past three years and this is the first time we are jointly organising it with SLTA in Kuching,” he said.
The main objective of the tournament was to promote tennis and encourage more beginners to take up tennis.
“The tournament is more about getting the kids together to make new friends and enjoy learning and playing tennis together and not too much on winning,” said Kho.
He said other activities such as fun games and lucky draws were organised together with the competition.