(From fifth right) Abdul Karim and Ruslan in a group photo with other officials during the press conference. – Photo by Chimon Upon
KUCHING (July 31): Sarawakian tennis enthusiasts should look forward to the 3rd PTBS Invitational Tennis Classic 2026 as the tournament provides a platform for local players to test their skills against competitors from across the state and beyond, said Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.
The State Minister for Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development said competitions organised by the Sarawak Bumiputera Tennis Association (PTBS) were important in bringing together players from different divisions and districts, while helping to raise the standard of tennis in the state.
“I would love to see tennis coming up strongly from Sarawak and only through tournaments like this would we be able to see more participation, more enthusiasts coming over to compete and see where they fare.
“When we have a competition that brings players together from different parts of Sarawak, this is the time for them to be able to show what they can do,” he told a press conference at the Baitulmakmur II building here Thursday.
Abdul Karim said PTBS had played a significant role in developing tennis in Sarawak since its establishment in 1978, particularly through talent development and providing competitive opportunities for players.
He said the association had produced several athletes who had represented Sarawak at the Sukma Games, reflecting its contribution towards strengthening the state’s tennis talent pool.
“I would like to congratulate PTBS for its unwavering commitment to organising the sport of tennis.
“Since its establishment in 1978, PTBS has played a pivotal role in developing tennis in Sarawak by nurturing talents, especially young talents, providing competitive opportunities and strengthening the growth of the sport across the state,” he said.
Abdul Karim also stressed the need to nurture younger players by introducing more age-based categories, particularly for those under 13 and under 15, to strengthen Sarawak’s future tennis pipeline.
“There must be an effort to develop them young. If it is done in a big tournament with prize money, young players will be able to feel the glory of winning.
“The possibility is that it will make more people interested in playing tennis at an early age,” he said.
Although junior categories will not be featured in this year’s tournament as registration has closed, Abdul Karim said PTBS already had youth development programmes in place and hoped future editions would include competitions for younger players.
“We do hope that this kind of category will be incorporated. In the future, we will see not just young athletes and teenagers, but also greater participation by women,” he said.
He reiterated the Sarawak government’s commitment to supporting sports associations that organise tournaments at international, regional and state levels.
The 3rd PTBS Invitational Tennis Classic 2026 will be held from Aug 6 to 9 at the PTBS Tennis Courts and Kelab Golf Sarawak Tennis Courts.
The tournament is expected to attract about 200 athletes representing 16 teams from Sarawak, Sabah, Peninsular Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Japan, with a total prize purse of RM17,000.
Also present during the press conference were PTBS president Ruslan Bujang, ministry officials, PTBS representatives and tournament sponsors.