Packed calendar for Tennis players
The Davis Cup is the main focus of SLTA according to its officials - File pic by Amila Gamage
Sri Lanka Tennis Association (SLTA) will shipshape its courts this year as they gear up to host twelve international tournaments from mid June to November in Colombo. Out of the twelve tournaments, eleven will be hosted at the SLTA courts while SSC courts will play host to one of the events during mid September.
Among the tournaments SLTA has underlined the Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Grade III tournament as topmost priority next to the three-legged ITF Junior Circuit Grade 5 Under-18 event.
“The Davis Cup will be one of the main tournaments the SLTA intend to focus highly due to its importance as a team. The chain of activities with twelve international and 21 local tournaments will put SLTA under a busy schedule through the year. Our intention is to conduct all these tournaments in a professional manner while also focusing on the national players’ development,” said Sohan Patrick, the Vice President of SLTA.
The list international tournaments to be hosted in Sri Lanka will kick off with the Sri Lanka Men’s Futures series which will be held over three weekends from June 18 to July 9. The all-important Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Group III tie will be up next during July 17 to 22 at the SLTA courts before taking a month’s break from international activities.
Beginning from September 4, the SLTA will host the ITF Junior Circuit Grade 5 Under-18 series for three weeks running up to September 24. From October 2 to 22 the SLTA courts will be the venue for the Sri Lanka Women’s Futures series which will be played in three legs. The international calendar winds up with the ATF Under-14 tournament which will be held in two different weeks from October 30 to November 12.
“The number of twelve professional international tournaments is the highest number to be hosted in Sri Lanka in one calendar year, and it will be a huge task. Over 1500 room nights are expected to be booked by foreign players during 12 weeks, which is a huge contribution to the country’s annual income through tourism,” Patrick added.
Of the 21 local tournaments lined up for 2017 in the SLTA calendar, six have been already completed. The seventh in line will be the Batticaloa Tennis Centre Tournament which will be played from April 28 to 30 in Batticaloa. Tournaments are slotted to take place around the country at famous venues before completing with the Jaffna Tennis Club Tournament to be held during December 8 to 10 at the St. Patrick’s College courts. Besides one event, the Inter-Schools Cool Divisional Qualifying Tournament, venues and dates of the remaining 20 are already decided. However according to SLTA the Inter-Schools Cool Divisional Qualifying Tournament should be held before end of July.
“Tennis was previously known to be played only by the elite and rich in Colombo, but over the past few years, with the improvement in the outstation programmes, kids from rural areas have started playing the game. By now there are over 15000 kids engaged in Tennis and the participation in National Tournaments in the Under-10 age group itself is above 1200. This is an overwhelming growth. This will definitely provide the talents to represent Sri Lanka in years to come,” Patrick elaborated.
| International Tournaments to be hosted by SLTA during 2017Â * Sri Lanka Men’s Futures F1 from June 18 to 25 at SLTA * Sri Lanka Men’s Futures F2 from June 26 to July 2 at SLTA * Sri Lanka Men’s Futures F3 from July 3 to 9 at SLTA * Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Group III from July 17 to 22 at SLTA * ITF Junior Circuit Grade 5 Week 1 (U-18) from September 4 to 10 at SLTA * ITF Junior Circuit Grade 5 Week 2 (U-18) from September 11 to 17 at SSC * ITF Junior Circuit Grade 5 Week 3 (U-18) from September 18 to 24 at SLTA * Sri Lanka Women’s Futures F1 from October 2 to 8 at SLTA * Sri Lanka Women’s Futures F2 from October 9 to 15 at SLTA * Sri Lanka Women’s Futures F3 from October 16 to 22 at SLTA * ATF Week 1 (U-14) from October 30 to November 5 at SLTA * ATF Week 2 (U-14) from November 6 to 12 at SLTA SLTA Local Tournaments for 2017 * Tamil Union Club Tournament from January 20 to 22 at Tamil Union * Otters Club Tournament from February 10 to 12 at Otters * Kalutara Tennis Centre Tournament from February 24 to 26 at Kalutara * SLTA Playing Section Tournament from March 3 to 5 at SLTA * ACM Tennis School Tournament from April 1 to 3 at Tamil Union * Bandarawela Tennis Club Tournament from April 14 to 16 at Bandarawela * Batticaloa Tennis Centre Tournament from April 28 to 30 at Batticaloa * SSC Open Tournament from May 5 to 7 at SSC * Moors Club Open Tournament from May 26 to 28 at Moors * Queen’s Club Open Tournament from June 2 to 4 at Queen’s Club * Women’s Club Tournament from June 23 to 25 at Women’s Club * Negombo Club Tournament from July 7 to 9 at Negombo * SLTA Tournament from August 3 to 6 at SLTA * Kurunegala Club Tournament from August 15 to 18 at Kurunegala * Kandy Garden Club Tournament from August 25 to 27 at Kandy Garden Club * DTS Tournament from September 8 to 10 at S. Thomas’ College * Thurstan College Tournament from October 6 to 8 at Thurstan * CR and FC Tournament from October 20 to 22 at Longdon Place * All-Island Inter-School Cool Championship from October 27 to 29 at SLTA * Jaffna Club Tournament from December 8 to 10 at St. Patrick’s College * Inter-Schools Cool Divisional Qualifying Tournament (Date and venue not confirmed) |