SSC Open Wheelchair: Tennis from Feb 25 to 27

Anuradha Abeysekera

The Singhalese Sports Club (SSC) will conduct the fourth SSC Open Wheelchair Tennis Championship as a part of ITF "NEC Wheelchair Tennis Tour" from February 25 to 27 at the SSC clay courts. The US $ 2000 prize money international tournament has become a significant wheelchair event in the ITF Future Series NEC series calendar.

This tournament will attract top ranking wheelchair tennis players from the world as it will be commenced just after the conclusion of sixth International Wheelchair Tennis Open Tournament worked off at the SLTA hard courts.

The SSC will have the support of two platinum sponsors, Diesel & Motor Engineering PLC (DIMO) and Bank of Ceylon (BOC) in hosting this big international event. The official ball HEAD, is sponsored by 3G Sports who have willingly came forward to support this event from its inception at SSC. SSC is a premier Sports Club in the country and established in 1899 and also one of the oldest Tennis Clubs in Asia. The SSC tennis facility comprises five flood lit tennis courts.

Specially for the convenience of foreign players the governing body of tennis in Sri Lanka, the SLTA has made arrangements to conduct few back to back international tournaments. SSC Open will be followed by the Sri Lanka Open and the tournaments will see elite players from across th globe contesting to better their world rankings in preparation for the forth coming world cup in Turkey..

Sri Lanka's Upali Rajakaruna currently ranked at 69 is practicing hard to bring honor to Sri Lanka in the tournament. The local team is coached by Jagath Welikala and PS Kumara and total of 16 including top SL Players, Rajakaruna, Gamini and Perera will be seen in action at these tournaments.

The NEC Wheelchair Tennis Tour originated in 1992 with 11 international tournaments. It has grown into a tour comprising of 161 events in 40 countries around the world. The NEC Wheelchair Tennis Tour concludes with the most prestigious event, the NEC Wheelchair Tennis Masters, an year-end World Championship for the top eight men and women players and top four Quad players. The NEC Wheelchair Tennis Tour is divided into Grand Slams, Super Series, ITF 1, 2 and 3 Series events and ITF Futures events.

With international rankings and prize money, the sport has clearly elevated itself to a more professional level. Tournaments offer various draws allowing all players a chance to compete at a competitive level. The No. 1 ranked male and female players at the end of the year are honoured as the Wheelchair Tennis World Champions during the ITF World Champions Dinner held at Roland Garros.