Christmas cheer for SLTA as Assri regains top spot

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Assri with his prizes after winning the Men’s Open at the LTAM Masters recently. — Photo courtesy of Sarawak Lawn Tennis Association

Assri with his prizes after winning the Men’s Open at the LTAM Masters recently. — Photo courtesy of Sarawak Lawn Tennis Association

KUCHING: Sarawak’s homebred Mohd Assri Merzuki regained his status as the national men’s singles number one after winning the Men’s Open of the Lawn Tennis Association of Malaysia (LTAM) Masters and Junior Masters tournament at the National Tennis Centre in Kuala Lumpur recently.

The Sarawakian, who turns 22 years old this Dec 28, upstaged the country’s top ranked player Ahmed Deedat Abdul Razak from Selangor 7-5, 6-2 in the final to collect RM4,000 and the trophy.

His triumph makes it a Merry Christmas for Sarawak Lawn Tennis Association – Assri is a product of its development programme and was groomed by SLTA and the Sarawak government for 10 years to become a professional tennis player, including spending about four years training in Romania and the US.

In fact, at the KL showdown, Sukma player and national trainee Belindai Chai also very nearly came good on the women’s court. She had beaten fellow Sarawakian Linda Liong 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, only to be defeated by Haarini Balakrishnan 6-4, 6-4 in the final.

Earlier, Assri topped Group B with six points from three games to oust runner-up from Group B Sheikh Ameer 7-6 (7), 6-3 in the semi-finals to set up the final clash with Group B leader Ahmed Deedat.

“I am happy to have beaten Ahmed Deedat and become number one again,” said Assri who is looking forward to the SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur in July next year.

But the road is long to the global pinnacle – the number one choice player for men’s singles in the Davis Cup will also be aiming to play in more ATP tournaments next year and collect ATP ranking points. He is currently ATP men’s singles No. 1,862 and ATP men’s doubles No. 1,597.

“I will be playing in a Men’s Future tournament in Turkey in July next year,” said Assri who collected one singles ATP point and six doubles ATP points from a Turkey tournament this year.

Another Sarawak player Muhammad Aiman failed to make it to the final stages of the Boys’ Under-16 after losing all three games in the preliminary rounds to Naufal Siddiq, Mohd Irzad Shazurin and Shamirul Shahril.

The LTAM Masters is part of the National Tennis Circuit.