Team KK overall champs of Inter-Affiliates Tennis C’ship
KOTA KINABALU: Team Kota Kinabalu has lifted the Sabah Chief Minister Trophy as the overall champions of the 32nd Sabah Tennis Association (STA) InterAffiliates Tennis Championship.
The feat was achieved after Kota Kinabalu won the ladies’ and men’s title over the weekend, adding to the Junior category they had won earlier.
Lahad Datu, however, denied Kota Kinabalu a clean sweep when they won the Veteran category, which carried the STA President Trophy.
Lahad Datu had the talents of exstate players Avelino Latoja and Charles Belen to boost their team while Sandakan veterans had only themselves to blame after the top defensive play whacked them off even while their first doubles pair were leading 7-4 and 8-7 with match point.
In the men’s category, Kota Kinabalu proved far too strong for their opponents as Christian Didier Chin and Stefan Walter Alex went on to win their matches to lift the Sabah Youth and Sports Minister Trophy.
The ladies event saw a touch and go battle where Sandakan were not lucky enough to snatch the title and lost the Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Trophy to Kota Kinabalu.
For the record, Kota Kinabalu had won the Junior category (Ajit Mannan Trophy) which was held in Sandakan in late March.
Meanwhile, STA president Johnson Koh revealed he was impressed by Kota Belud and Semporna in the championship.
“Kota Belud and Semporna put up a very good fight despite being first timers as new members,” said Koh, who added that Kudat also came with a team of mixed imports, in a statement to the press yesterday.
Incumbent Karamunting assemblyman Datuk Charles O Pang presented the prizes to the winners, witnessed by Sandakan District Tennis Association (SDTA) president Fernando Rulloda, Koh, STA vice president Christopher Lim and Lahad Datu president Tham.