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Japan player in charge of SLTA's junior development programme
By Shamseer Jaleel
Former top ATP world ranked Japanese player Shuzo Matsuoka will set up a junior development program for the Sri Lanka Tennis Association. The top ITF Junior Development officer who is in the Island now did a 2-day research on junior tennis in the country.

Speaking to the Sunday Times the President of the SLTA Suresh Subramaniam said, " We are very lucky to have Matsuoka who is respected world wide. He is not only an ITF appointed development officer but also serves the Board of Directors of the Asian federation".

He further told that SLTA's highly successful mini tennis program has vastly increased the numbers playing at the junior level. Junior tennis from 5-10 years adds hundreds of new kids coming into the game. ATF obviously appreciates our needs to update our development program which is why Matsuoka is here" said Suresh Subramaniam who is doing yeoman service for tennis along with the new CEO Lionel Almedia.

The Japanese player Matsuoka had an outstanding playing career in 1998 Wimbledon where he advanced to the quarterfinals and lost to the world’s number 1 Pete Sampras.

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