KTAP to send 20 to state junior tennis circuit
KOTA KINABALU: Kelab Tennis Avakas Penampang (KTAP) will be sending 20 junior boys and girls to compete in the Sabah Junior Tennis Circuit 1st Leg Sandakan on March 1-3.
The juniors from KTAP development programme will be contesting in all the age-group singles and doubles categories for under-10, under-12, under-14 and under-16.
It is a history making appearance for KTAP where it will be the first time a tennis club from Penampang is sending a team to compete at state level and take on other districts or associations such as Kota Kinabalu, Keningau and Sandakan who are the stronghold in local junior competitions.
KTAP president Leslie Jong said since the formation of KTAP in middle of 2023, the club has been focusing on recruiting and producing junior tennis players through its development programme under the watchful eyes and guidance of coaches Firdaus Shukor, Dzulkifly Awang and William Lo.
Sabah Games (SAGA) champion Samuel Guansing will spearhead KTAP challenge in the first leg in Sandakan where he will compete in the boy’s under-16 category.
Other hopefuls are Nurfahan Natasha (girls u-16), Mohd Farhan Irfan and Nathan Guansing (both boy’s u-14), Tatiana Guansing and Sana Kinami (both girl’s u-12) and Gideon Gerald Shim and Rena Kinami (boy’s/ girl’s u-10).
“KTAP is confident that our junior players will be able to compete against the best juniors from other districts or associations,” said Leslie Jong in a statement yesterday.
Penampang has a history of having men and junior state champions in the past namely Desmond Guansing, Roger Lim and the late Neville Boyou.
They have represented the state and competed at national level and have brought back titles during their prime.
“KTAP is hopeful that the junior development programme will be able to replicate the level needed to compete at national level,” added Jong.