SLTA chief bids to stage two more International Wheelchair Tennis events

The Sri Lanka Tennis Association (SLTA) is in the midst of a series of three back-to-back International Wheelchair Tennis Futures Tournaments, where the custodians of the sport mainly aim on giving the local players the much needed exposure.

The Futures Series, which also serves as a World Cup Qualifier from the Asian Region, includes the 9th Negombo Open, the 13th Sri Lanka Open and the 11th SSC Open. The 9th Negombo Open was already held from February 9 to 12 at the Negombo Tennis Club Courts, while the 13th Sri Lanka Open is in progress at the SLTA courts in Greenpath. This competition began on Friday and will end tomorrow. Following this, the 11th SSC Open is scheduled to be completed from February 19 to 22 at the SSC courts.

"It's a great platform to give the Sri Lankan players the opportunity to feature themselves in this series, which is sanctioned by the International Tennis Federation (ITF). Besides the exposure, our aim is to give the Sri Lankan players more opportunities to gain world rankings. We are also hoping to plan a round tournament in the region, which will be helpful for our players and the nation as a whole," said Iqbal Bin Issac, the president of SLTA. Bin Issac is also the chairman of Wheelchair Tennis at the Asian Tennis Federation (ATF) and is a member of the Wheelchair Tennis Committee, solely responsible for the Asian region at the ITF. With his capacity at regional and global levels as an administrator and the head of the SLTA, who oversees the potential of wheelchair tennis in Sri Lanka, Bin Issac is keen to add more of these competitions at home.

"We are right now looking at adding at least two more International Wheelchair Tennis ranking tournaments in Sri Lanka. It's a humongous task with each of these competitions being US$ 3,000 tournaments, according to the ITF standards. Thankfully we have a keen sponsor, the Colombo International Container Terminal (CICT), to support the development of wheelchair tennis in Sri Lanka," he added.

To conduct a single tournament, the SLTA must look at spending between Rs. 2 to 3 million, which covers the prize money, accommodation, logistics and other related matters. Despite the financial restrains and limited resources, the SLTA is serious in focusing on taking the sport to higher echelons.

"Sri Lanka is the only country that looks after their wheelchair tennis players with full sponsorships on overseas tours. We also make sure players are really comfortable and are in the best of conditions for competitions. Sri Lanka do not have many wheelchair tennis players, but a majority of them, like 13, are in the world ranks," he explained.

Sri Lanka wheelchair tennis players boast of having defeated the more fancied European circuit players whenever they have encountered them. The local wheelchair players have a good record against teams from Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Austria, France, Belgium, Denmark and The Netherlands, but rarely have had the opportunity to feature thems e l ves in the European Championships. Bin Issac's vision of having more tournaments in the region is to enhance the chances of the Sri Lankan players to gain more in the world ranks and even reach the final stages of the ITF Wheelchair World Cup.

"We have to promote the game, focusing mainly in the region preferably India, where there are no wheelchair tournaments at all. It will be helpful for our players also. In addition Thailand and Vietnam have also joined in. The sport is expanding vastly in the region, which is good news to our players. We expect at least one player from Sri Lanka at the Para Olympics and a medal. We have the potential," reiterated Bin Issac.

The main sponsors, CICT, who had been associating with Sri Lanka wheelchair tennis during the past five years, revealed that they are committed to stick on and see the country reach the Top 5 in world rankings. CICT, an arm of China Merchant Port Holdings, has a different approach unlike other benefactors of sports.

"China Merchant Port Holdings, one of the world’s biggest in the shipping trade, has a policy. That is, whatever country they invest in, they do not only focus on the business interest. They also focus so that the community at large also develops with the business. To ensure this happens uninterruptedly they have launched the China Merchant Charity Fund, which goes from country to country to development projects. Wheelchair tennis is one of the first and biggest projects undertaken by them in Sri Lanka, together with CICT. We are very proud to be associated with this sport and such a bunch of beautiful and highly talented gentlemen," said Catriona Jayasundara, the General Manager, Marketing and Commercial of CICT.

These Futures tournaments, with a prize tag of US$ 3,000 going into three different competitions, is considered as tournaments with the highest prize money to be held in Sri Lanka.

The three Futures tournaments have already attracted top ranked wheelchair tennis men's and women's players from the world and the region. Players representing South Korea, India and Malaysia have already arrived in Sri Lanka. The local team is coached by Jagath Welikala and overlooked by Brigadier Shiran Abyesekera.