It’s just not tennis
UK-based player bemoans lack of financial support from the TRNC
ELİZ Maloney Yorgancı, the British-Turkish Cypriot tennis player, has criticised the lack of support for her career from the TRNC authorities. Yorgancı, 22, complained about the lack of backing following her latest success in the UK’s Pro League tennis tournament, where she was the winner of Week 5 of the hard court competition at the National Tennis Centre in Roehampton, south-west London. She brushed aside Katie Stresnakova 6-1, 6-2 in the final last Saturday with an impressive performance, having dropped just one set on the way to the last two. Yorgancı, ranked among the top 40 women tennis players in the UK, said that while she was pleased with the win, her participation in future tournaments could be in doubt.
She said she has received “no support whatsoever” from the TRNC government and that she is “struggling to take part in these tournaments and stay on her feet during this economic crisis”, according to information provided by her mother, İlkay Yorgancı.
Referring to her performance on the court, Eliz Maloney Yorgancı said: “I thought it was a hard battle. Whenever I play Katie I have some very long rallies, but I went in with a game plan and I just executed it well today.
“I’m very happy. . . I just wanted to use this week and the five matches to push my game and try and make some improvements.”
She credited her win to “trying to be a bit more aggressive, take the ball on, keep my court position close to the baseline and take a few more risks”.
“It doesn’t always pay off at the moment but overall I’m pleased that I stuck to it and it did start to click towards the end of the week,” she added.
Following her Week 5 win, Yorgancı moved up to second place in the UK Pro League standings on 40 points, 10 behind Stresnakova.
Week 6 is due to take place from September 26 to October 2 at the Aldershot Tennis Centre, with Week 7 being held from November 6-12 at a location to be confirmed.
The top nine players in the league standings will then go through to the “Final Week” later in November, along with three wildcard entries, where the UK Pro Champion will be declared.
Organisers say the UK Pro League has a prize fund “in excess of £500,000” and is broadcast on BT Sport and Tennis Channel in the UK.