KUCHING: The Sarawak Lawn Tennis Association (SLTA) has hailed the return of Deen Hesham Tan Abdullah to Sarawak and anticipates that the former national coach can bring state tennis to greater heights.
Its president Dato Patrick Liew said Deen’s return was a big boost to Sarawak tennis as the state is not only preparing for its challenge in Sukma XVIII but also intensifying its tennis development programme.
“We are very happy to be able to get the services of Deen and welcome him back. He will be the coordinator of our Sukma XVIII tennis preparations and the junior development programme,” he said yesterday.
Deen will also manage the team of coaches and oversee the training programme of the state Sukma XVIII shadow team.
“It will be an advantage to SLTA because Deen has been coaching the national team for years and knows all the players from the other states. He will be able to work out a better strategy for our players against their counterparts in Sukma XVIII,” he added.
Liew said Deen is the right man for the job given his wealth of national coaching experience and bringing players to international competitions.
“Being a very committed and responsible coach, I am sure he will display a high level of professionalism in carrying out his duties. He will be a very good helping hand to the association and take responsibility for the day-to-day activities and take care of the Sukma players,” said Liew.
“I am very confident he is capable of raising the standard of our players and through the junior development programme, produce a bigger base of players who will be groomed for Sukma and international competitions.”
Liew also feels that it will be ‘pat’ for Deen to work in Sarawak, where life goes at a slower pace and be close to his family, kin and friends.
Deen played for the state in the 1980s and launched his coaching career in 2004 for SLTA. After receiving his RPT (Registro Profesional de Tennis) coaching certificate in 2008, he started coaching in Spain. He became national coach in 2010 and was promoted to head coach in 2014.