Otter’s Jnr: Novices Tennis from August 11

TENNIS: The 5th annual novices tennis tournament organised and conducted by the Otter Aquatic Club (OAC) and sponsored by Asian Alliance Insurance (AAI) for the past two years starts with the preliminaries from Saturday, August 11 and goes on to the 19th with the semi-finals and finals on August 25 and 26 at the OAC Courts.

The main aim of this competition is to foster and promote the game of tennis amongst the boys and girls desirous of learning, within the five age groups ranging from 8, 10, 12, 14, and 16 years.

The contest will be confined to singles events for both boys and girls.

Each player is eligible to enter a maximum of two events. Any novice or losing pre-quarter finalist in any ranking tournament during the year 2006-2007 is eligible to participate.

Last year there were over 200 entries, this year there are 265 juniors taking part in a programme of 350 matches. The winners and runners-up will receive trophies and all participants will receive a certificate.

According to the tournament secretary, Sriyani Gunaratne, and the General Secretary OAC, Jeff Jacotine who were present at a media briefing at the OAC - this exercise is being organised for those children who are not good enough for the ranking tournaments, to give them the exposure they need to play matches, in a sense, to give them the feel of what competitive tennis is all about.

As the children are having their school holidays, matches will be played both in the mornings as well as the afternoons.

Also present at the briefing was the Chief Executive Officer of AAT, Ramal Jasinghe, who handed over the sponsorship cheque to the President of OAC, Darshan Peiris.

RD