Assri quits competitive tennis to pursue career in coaching

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Assri in action at the recent SEA Games tennis competition in Kuala Lumpur.

Liew wishing Assri all the best in his new endeavour.

KUCHING: Mohd Assri Merzuki has quit the national team and competitive tennis to embark on another goal – to be a professional coach.

The 23-year old, who is Sarawak’s first player to be trained as a professional tennis player, has secured a job as an assistant high performance tennis coach with the British International School (BIS) in Phuket Island, Thailand.

Assri was a member of the national team which won the team bronze at the 28th SEA Games in Singapore.

“After three months of consideration, I decided to make this move because I would like to have a change for a better life not only for myself but also for my family,” said Assri who will be flying to Thailand on Sunday and report work the following day.

According to him, the offer from BIS was too hard to resist as he will not be paid well but also at the same time get to be trained as a proper and coach based on the Professional Tennis Registry certification.

“My job will be mainly sparring with the Under 16 players who are studying at the international school and I can also do some private coaching.

“I have no regrets making this move as I am looking at the bigger picture. I had a goal that I set for seven years and I was unable to achieve it,” said Assri who added that the support for tennis players in the country was not as good as the other sports such as badminton and football.

“I was pondering that if I do not have that support for the next three years, my career and life will not be that stable,” he added.

His parents are still working and he has two younger sisters who are still schooling.

Although Assri has quit competitive tennis, he is ready to contribute to Sarawak and the country in terms of imparting his knowledge and experience as well as sparring with the younger players one day if his services are needed.

“I would like to thank all the sponsors, SLTA especially Dato Patrick (Liew), Datu Len Talif Salleh, Datuk Amar Hamid Sepawie and the State government under Chief Minister Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud for their support.

“Thanks also go to all the coaches especially Doru (Sorin Morariu) who had not only taught me a lot about tennis but also how to be a better person in life, and support from family members, relatives and friends,” said Assri who is from Bandar Baru Semariang.

Meanwhile, Sarawak Lawn Tennis Association (SLTA) president Dato Patrick Liew said Assri has taken the right step in his new undertaking and that he is a good example of how tennis can give a person a better life.

“As far as SLTA is concerned, it is the pride of the association that apart from developing tennis, we also help to build up a career for our tennis players and changing their lives through sports.

“Assri can be a role model for other parents to see what tennis can offer the players in the future and we have helped many tennis players secure sports scholarships to further their studies  overseas.

“Many of them have returned to Malaysia and now have good jobs while some of them are working in other countries,” added Liew.

He said SLTA will still continue to produce more players like Assri and hoped the parents would change their mindset and get their children to take up tennis.