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| Sunday, 27 November 2005 |
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World Ranking ITF futures 2005 tourney from tomorrow at Queen's Tennis Centre by Ranjan Anandappa Sri Lanka is set to get into the World Map of glamour tennis when the country hosts the ITF Men's Futures 2005 -World Ranking Tournament at the Queen's Tennis Centre of the Gymkhana Club, Bauddhaloka Mawatha from November 28 to December 4. The tournament will see some world ranking and qualifiers from the United Kingdom, France, India, Italy, Japan, Romania and Egypt and many other countries with total prize money of rupees 1 million up for grabs. Mainly sponsored by Water Front Ascon Residencies - an apartment complex developed by Ascon Lanka which is a subsidiary of the Dubai based ETA Ascon Group of Companies. The tournament for the host Gymkhana Club, a subsidiary of C. C. C. more a Test venue for cricket is viewed by the club as a shot in the arm at that level. The Queens Tennis Centre is the second biggest tennis venue in the country and will be named as a venue for world ranking tennis. Entries for the event is through the International Tennis Federation (ITF) office in London with a men's singles draw of 32 and doubles draw of 16 as the main events. The standard of the game could be close to the best of Asian tennis. The tournament is conducted by the ITF qualified silver and bronze badge officials. According to the ITF in London, 18 players from Japan, U.K., India, Pakistan, France, Italy, Romania, Egypt, holding world rankings as high as 336 to 750 have entered the main draw. Romesh Fernando the treasurer of the Gymkhana Club and the tournament Director said that he was very proud to have the players from the foreign countries and the tournament is bound to be a stepping stone to Grand Slam tournaments. He said that the SLTA has selected three local players from the Wild Card Privilege. The Chief Executive Officer of the Sri Lanka Tennis Association Lionel Almeida said that he was very proud of the enthusiasm and the commitment shown by the Gymkhana Club in conducting the tournament and added that some thought whether it was the right thing to do in conducting the tournament in a private capacity,but it has proved to be a big success. He also said that the first 'leg' of the championship is conducted in Colombo with the qualifying rounds played yesterday. The next two legs of the circuit are scheduled to take place in India. |
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