Top juniors for Penang Open

The Penang Open International Age-Group Tennis Championships, which starts on Monday, will see more than 300 local and international players in-action for honours and ranking points.
The tournament, organised by the  Penang Lawn Tennis Association (PLTA), will be divided into eight categories — boys’ and girls’ Under-10, Under-12, Under-14 and Under-16 singles and doubles.
Singapore have registered 63 players followed by Japan (18), South Africa (16), South Korea (13), Indonesia (11), Thailand (nine), Uzbekistan (five), the Philippines (three) and Hong Kong (one).
Chaiyaward Phetthani Am and Koay Hao Sheng (Perlis); Imran Daniel Hazli, Talhah Rahizam and Sheikh Ameer Abdullah Shikh (all Selangor); Keenan Kam and Ariana Muralidharan (both Kuala Lumpur); and Loo Shi Pei and Michelle Khoo Li Sha (both Penang) are among the local participants.
According to PLTA, most of the foreign participants have Asian and international junior ranking points.

Michelle sails to title

GEORGE TOWN: TOP singles player Michelle Khoo Li Sha was in her element as she steamrolled her opponents to   clinch the Penang State Closed Junior Age Group Tennis Championship Girls' Under-18 singles title recently.

The state's Malaysia Games elite trainee and the competition's top seed was in top form as she thrashed second seed Zian Kim Khoo Xin Ying 6-0, 6-0 in the final at the Penang Sports Club Tennis hub here recently.

In the semi-finals, the 15-year-old St Georges Girls School student, who is the No 1 after the state's top player Jawariah Noordin cut ties with Penang to play for another state, whipped Samantha Lee Czen Shing 6-0, 6-0.

Johnson Ooi Jing Wuu was the only player to retain his title, winning the Boys' Under-18 singles and doubles titles.

In the singles, which was a repeat of last year's semi-finals, Jing Wuu thrashed Ahmad A'Ql Ahmad Nizam 6-1, 6-1. In the other last four match, Chia Chen Dong beat Matthias Kok Xin Zhe 6-4, 7-6, (7-4).

Jing Wuu defeated Chen Dong 6-3, 7-5 (8-6) in the final.

In the doubles, Jing Wuu and partner Xin Zhe defeated Heng Hui Jing-Tan Hai Him 6-1, 6-2 in the final.

The three-day annual tournament with nine age-group categories was organised by the Penang Lawn Tennis Association (PLTA).

The unique aspect of the competition was that all matches were played on grass courts, which has become a rarity in the country. The PSC tennis hub consists of nine grass, eight artificial and two hard courts.

RESULTS -- Boys' Under-10 singles s-finals: Asshwinmurthi Jayaganthan bt Vivek Balakrishnan 8-6; Paul Teoh Kai Jie bt Neelan Rajoo 8-2; Final: Paul Teoh Kai Jie bt Asshwinmurthi Jayaganthan 3-6, 6-3 (7-4).

Under-14 singles s-finals: Brian Lee How Cheng bt Lee Huang Yi 2-6, 6-4 (8-6); Amit Singh Atwal bt Noeh Khai Keat 7-5, 2-6 (7-4); Final: Amit Singh Atwal bt Brian Lee How Cheng 6-3, 6-4.

Doubles s-finals: Lee Huang Yi-Brian Lee How Cheng bt Neoh Khai Keat-Setthasorn Ooi Zhi Yang 8-2; Amit Singh Atwal-Maayez Yousuf Imam bt Chan Kai Lun-Ugene Ooi U Jin 8-1; Final: Lee Huang Yi-Brian Lee How Cheng bt Amit Singh Atwal-Maayez Yousuf Imam 3-6, 6-4 (8-6)

Under-18 singles s-finals: Johnson Ooi Jing Wuu bt Ahmad A'Ql Ahmad Nizam 6-1, 6-1; Chia Chen Dong bt Matthias Kok Xin Zhe 6-4, 7-6, (7-4); Final: Johnson Ooi Jing Wuu bt Chia Chen Dong 6-3, 5-7 (8-6).

Doubles s-finals: Johnson Ooi Jing Wuu-Matthias Kok Xin Zhe bt Kuhan Ravintharan-Keshen Naidu 8-1; Heng Hui Jing-Tan Hai Him w/o Chia Chen Dong-Thum Wei Sern; Final: Johnson Ooi Jing Wuu-Matthias Kok Xin Zhe bt Heng Hui Jing-Tan Hai Him 6-1, 6-2.

Girls' Under-10 singles: 1 Bharthie Murugan, 2 Madeleine Khoo Li Ying, 3 Chuah Jo Yee.

Under-14 singles s-finals: Loo Shi Pei bt Christine Vong Su Yen 6-4, 6-4; Cherylene Tan Sui Ling bt Sabrina Gee Zhen Hzui 6-1, 6-3; Final: Loo Shi Pei bt Cherylene Tan Sui Ling 6-1, 6-3.

Doubles s-finals: Loo Shi Pei-Cherylene Tan Sui Ling bt Emily Oh Tien Yie-Yeoh Wei Jiun 8-0; Chow Yi Xuan-Sabrina Gee Zhen Hzui 8-5; Final: Loo Shi Pei-Cherylene Tan Sui Ling bt Chow Yi Xuan-Sabrina Gee Zhen Hzui 6-1, 6-3.

Under-18 singles s-finals: Michelle Khoo Li Sha bt Samantha Lee Czen Shing 6-0, 6-0; Zian Kim Khoo Xin Ying bt Nawaal Iffat Imam 6-1, 6-1; Final: Michelle Khoo Li Sha bt Zian Kim Khoo Xin Ying 6-0, 6-0.

Iqbal trains with Setipu for CEO tennis event

THOUGH the CEO & Celebrity Charity Tennis is only a charity event, Tuahku Sdn Bhd CEO Muhd Iqbal Sulaiman is taking the challenge seriously.
After recording a top-10 finish in the 2010 edition, Iqbal is determined to make a lasting impression on Dec 9.
He has hired former Indonesia international Marco Setipu as his training partner.
Setipu, 43, who played on the ATP tour in the 1990s, has been helping Iqbal polish his strokes four times a week at the Jalan Duta Stadium.
“I am very passionate about tennis. I have travelled the globe to watch grand slams and the World Tour Finals,” said Iqbal at Balai Berita in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
“I play tennis to destress myself after a hard day at work. I hope to do well and, hopefully, I can finish in the top-10 bracket.
“The event also gives participants the opportunity to build closer ties with their colleagues in a fun activity while contributing to a good cause.”
Iqbal, 38, started playing tennis at 12 after watching German Boris Becker and Ivan Lendl at the Wimbledon final.
The Kuala Lumpur-born was an active player as a junior but forfeited his dreams to pursue his studies.
However, Iqbal began playing tennis actively three years ago after realising that he was not getting any exercise.
Iqbal, a regular on the Malaysian Tennis Circuit, is ranked in the top-120 bracket on the national men’s singles rankings.
After first being held in 2008, the the CEO and Celebrity  Charity Tennis is making a return after a one-year lapse.
The doubles event will see a player being paired off with different partners and must complete five matches and the player with the highest points will be declared champion.
NST and eCEOs Sdn Bhd are joint organisers of the fourth edition of the event while Dunlop, Mohamed Ridza & Co, Petra Energy Berhad, Cahya Mata Sarawak Berhad, Mudajaya Group Berhad and the Lawn Tennis Association of Malaysia are the official partners. - www.nst.com.my

Sydney stint for top juniors

APTI coaches Mark Whilton (in dark blue), Sandon Stolle (in blue) and Darren Moore (in white) at the MBPJ Sports Complex in Kelana Jaya recently. Pic by Goh Thean Howe

KUALA LUMPUR: SELANGOR tennis is set to grow with the latest move to tie up with the Sydney-based Asia Pacific Tennis Institute (APTI).
The Selangor Tennis Association (STA) signed a MoU with APTI recently and the collaboration will include sending top state junior players to the Sydney Olympic Park Tennis Centre for training-cum-tournament stints.
Kuala Lumpur will also become a base for APTI for its players wanting to compete in ITF tournaments in Southeast Asia.
STA president Datuk Abdul Malik Mohd Salleh said the tie-up will help develop juniors in the state.
"With our involvement with APTI, a new dimension has come into play in our development efforts," said Abdul Malik recently.
"Our players can look forward to a better future in their pursuit of tennis excellence. I believe we have found a perfect programme to groom our top juniors."
APTI conducted a week-long coaching-cum-training clinic at the MBPJ Sports Complex in Kelana Jaya recently.
The clinic attracted more than 70 top juniors from Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Negri Sembilan and Perak along with 40 local coaches. The participants were taught the fundamentals of the game by top APTI coaches, headed by former US Open doubles champion Sandon Stolle.
"We plan to send our top juniors to Sydney for training and competitions next year. They will be exposed to the physical aspects of the game through various coordinated training programmes and also high-level competitions," said Abdul Malik.
Stolle was impressed with the quality of some of the participants during the clinic.
"The local coaches were exposed to different ways of training. A coach needs a coordinated approach to guide players in accordance to their age.
"Structured guidance is important for one to succeed. Coaches must understand the ability of players before deciding on the next course of training methods," he said.
Stolle, 42, the son of former Australian tennis champion Fred Stolle, won 22 doubles titles on the ATP Tour in his career spanning 13 years before retiring in 2003.
"Our aim is to provide the tools and environment to ensure each individual athlete has the greatest possible chance to be the best player they can be.
"Players will benefit from our professional coaching and hopefully it will help them achieve the next level of their game," said Stolle, also a former China national team tour coach.
APTI has selected former national champion Adelle Boey and Sri Aakash Reddiyar during the clinic to undergo a one-month training stint in Sydney.
STA secretary Tengku Mohamed Tengku Harun said both the players will head for Sydney next month.
"They were selected from over 70 participants by APTI. We will also send selected players to Sydney for stints next year," said Tengku Mohamed.- www.nst.com.my

Jien back for a good cause

WORKING in Singapore will not stop Soo Kui Jien or 'Jien' from returning for the CEO & Celebrity Charity Tennis event at the National Tennis Complex on Dec 9.
 The former Disney Channel host, who competed the last two years and finished fourth in 2009 and 2010 with the help of partners like Ling Hee Kian, Datuk Anthony Bujang and Paul Poh.
 "I try to play once a week with some friends in Singapore as a preparation for the challenge", said Jien, who added that his favourite tennis player was Ivan Lendl.
"He (Lendl) was dedicated and absolutely tried his best on court."
 Jien, based in Singapore for the past seven years, is the presenter of Mio Stadium and Mediacorp Channel 5.
 The CEO and Celebrity Charity Tennis event is aimed at raising RM60,000 to help children in need of medical care.
NST and eCEOs Sdn Bhd are joint organisers of the fourth edition of the event while Dunlop and Mohamed Ridza & Co are the official partners.- www.nst.com.my

Koh heads Sabah's challenge

WATERFRONT Urban Development Sdn Bhd director and tennis enthusiast, Johnson Koh will bring some game to the CEO and Celebrity Charity Tennis on Dec 9.
 The Sabah Tennis Association president is the first participant from this state to compete in the event since its inception in 2008.
 The tournament, which is to raise funds for the New Straits Times Press (NSTP) Charity Fund to help young Malaysians with serious medical problems, will be held at National Tennis Centre in Kuala Lumpur.
 "I had heard about the event a few years back since I am in the tennis circle.
"This time I decided to join as it is a good programme to help those underprivileged, but at the same time as a keen tennis player, I would like to promote the sport," Koh said. Koh, who names Swiss tennis great and World No 2 Roger Federer and China's woman professional Li Na as his favourite players, believes he has an advantage despite it being his first time entering the tournament.
"I expect some good competition ... but ultimately I'd like to make sure we in Sabah are represented during this tournament," he added.
As for his preparation, the 59-year-old said playing tennis is already a daily routine for him.
"I don't think I need to do additional training," said Koh, who has been involved in the game for more than 40 years. The CEO and Celebrity Charity Tennis event raised RM61,160 in 2010 when it was last held.
Besides generating funds for charity, it also aims to inspire the younger generation to take up tennis by showing successful personalities like CEOs and celebrities' involvement in the game.
 To enter, each player will have to contribute a minimum of RM1,000 as participation fee while companies wanting to become corporate donors must purse RM5,000 to have their logos in the tournament's publicity material.- www.nst.com.my

Deja vu for Intan Mahani

THERE is a memorable feel to the CEO Celebrity Charity Tennis 2012 tournament as Datin Intan Mahani Abdul Halim makes a return to the event that set her on the road to her comeback two years ago.
The former national No 1, who is the first Malaysian to make an impact on the WTA tour when she made the fourth round of the Virginia Slims Open in the United States in 1990, just missing out on the quarterfinals.
 In 2010, the mother of six decided to make a return to competitive tennis following a 17-year hiatus, after she had enjoyed playing in the CEO Celebrity Charity Tennis tournament that year.
Now 41 and still able to compete with the youngsters in open tournaments, Intan Mahani picks and chooses the tournaments she enters, with the Port Dickson Open next weekend being one of those, as it is hosted in her home state.
Now residing in Penang, Intan Mahani is also determined to develop all her children into world class tennis players.
"Now, most of my time is focused on my children. My three sons are based in Thailand to train and compete, and they'll all soon be leaving for the United States to further their careers in tennis," said Intan Mahan
Though the CEO Celebrity Charity Tennis is more of a casual tournament, it did enough to whet her appetite for more of the sport the last time out.
"Since then, I've won the National Masters championship and I made the quarterfinals of the PTT Thailand Open in the doubles," said Intan Mahani, who still looks to her first coach Azam Baba for guidance.
Her visit to Balai Berita yesterday was accompanied by her second son, Muhd Shuhaib Munir, 14, who apart from sparring with his mother, will be her mixed doubles partner in the Port Dickson Open.
Muhd Shuhaib's elder brother Putra Asyraf, 19, and younger brother Mohd Adyl, 11, are also competitive juniors looking to make a breakthrough on the international stage.
"Mohd Adyl is now ranked second in the Thai junior tour. We have three coaches working with them. And now, I'm already starting to train my three- and four-year-old daughters," said Intan Mahani, who won three of the five matches she played in the 2010 CEO Celebrity Charity Tennis. By Arnaz M. Khairul

Thomas happy to do his bit for charity

TENNIS is his passion and T. Paul Thomas would love to perform well in the CEO & Celebrity Charity Tennis event but the competition will not be the crucial factor when he participates for the third time at National Tennis Centre (NTC) in Jalan Duta on Dec 9.
Thomas, the managing director of Manproserv Consulting Sdn Bhd, said this is the only tennis event that focuses solely on raising funds for charity and this was enough to lure him to compete.
He was unable to play in the inaugural event in 2008 due to commitments but competed in 2009 and 2010.
Thomas, 53, had played in the Malaysian inter-varsity tennis competition when a student with Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) and still plays in veteran events.
 "I love tennis and like to compete but the CEO & Celebrity Tennis is a rare event where charity is the theme. The funds go to a noble cause and there is no better way to do it while enjoying some fun tennis," said Thomas in a statement.
"It's the only charity tennis event in the country and you don't often get the opportunity to play with celebrities."
The doubles event will see a player being paired off with different partners and must complete five matches and the player with the highest points will be declared champion.
Thomas has been keeping himself fit for the event by practicing twice a week.
NST and eCEOs Sdn Bhd are joint organisers of the fourth edition of the event while Dunlop, Mohamed Ridza & Co, Petra Energy Berhad, Cahya Mata Sarawak Berhad, Mudajaya Group Berhad and the Lawn Tennis Association of Malaysia are the official partners.- www.nst.com.my

CM’s Cup ends on a bright note

WELL DONE: Liew (second right) presents the girls singles champion trophy to Barbara Stefkova while tournament director Douglas Telajan (right), tournament secretary Bernard Chin (second left) and organising committee members look on.

KUCHING: The Sarawak Lawn Tennis Association (SLTA) ended the year on a high note with the successful organising of the 20th Sarawak Chief Minister’s Cup (II) ITF Junior Tennis Championship
(Grade 3) at its centre along Jalan Crookshank here yesterday.

SLTA president Dato Patrick Liew said yesterday that there had been almost zero complaint throughout the whole championship which meant the event was very successfully organised.

“I would like to commend on the organising committee, the referee Alexis Wan, judges, linesmen and the volunteers for their dedication, commitment and hard work to ensure that the competition ran smoothly,” he said after presenting the prizes to the finalists of the boys and girls singles.

“My thanks also go to the sponsors, Sarawak government, MSNS, Sarawak Medical Department and all those who have contributed in one way or another to make the event a great success.”

On the performance of the Malaysian players, Liew said overall the Malaysians especially the elite players had shown a significant improvement by getting through the second or third rounds of the ITF Grade 3 competition.

“We hope that Malaysia’s standard can be near or at par with that of Asian countries,” he said.

This year, SLTA had organised seven international tournaments and Liew said SLTA would continue to maintain or organise more international events in time to come.

Liew added that SLTA is planning to organise three back-to-back ITF Men’s Futures US$10,000 events next year which would serve to prepare the country’s elite players for semi-professional or professional tennis.

“We are in the process of getting sponsors for the Men’s Futures,” he said.

Liew added that five international events had already been confirmed in its 2013 calendar. They are the 21st Sarawak Chief Minister’s Cup (1) ITF Junior Tennis Championship (Grade 1) in March, World Junior Team for Boys (Asia-Oceania Qualifiers) and World Junior Team for Girls (Asia-Oceania Qualifiers) in April, 9th Asian 14 and Under Series in mid-September, and 21st Sarawak Chief Minister’s Cup (II) ITF Junior Tennis Championship (Grade 3) in October.

Meanwhile, tournament third seed Callum Poland-Smith trumped sixth seed Samm Butler 6-3, 6-4 to claim the boys singles crown.

It was a tough fight for Poland-Smith as he was suffering from fatigue and heat stroke on Friday for playing on the court for more than seven hours.

“It was a very tough match with Butler who is also my training partner. We practised a lot
together and I knew his strengths and weaknesses, so I was able to beat him,” he said after the match.

It was also Poland-Smith’s first title of the year and his first visit to Kuching.

The 17-years-old hopes to come back for the 21st Sarawak Chief Minister’s Cup (1) ITF Junior Tennis Championship (Grade 1) in March next year.

Poland-Smith and Butler are trainees of the Bathteam Tennis Academy at the University of Bath in England.

They both train under coach Jim Edgar. Czech Republic’s Barbara Stefkova capped a fruitful week in Kuching where the tournament top seed also won her first title of the year after beating a tired Chang Ya-Ting of Taiwan 6-2, 6-2.

“The win was really great for me and this is my first title this year. I have played in a Grade 1 event in Japan but lost in the first round,” she said.

The 17-years-old, who hails from a small city of Olomo, has also played in Tunisia, Turkey and Norway in Grade 3 to 5 events and did not win anything there.

Asked whether her target was to win before coming here,” Stefkova replied: “Sure, I was feeling confident. I took it match by match and I felt I was playing better and better,” she added.

Being the first time here, Stefkova said she loved it in Kuching and has been to the Sarawak Cultural Village two days ago.

She will take a three-week break after this and hopes to return to Kuching next year.- www.theborneopost.com.

Mohamed joins the fray

LAWYER Mohamed Ridza Abdullah may be a new kind on  the block but has expressed his confidence of being the  surprise package at the CEO and Celebrity Charity Tennis,  scheduled on Dec 9, at National Tennis Centre in Kuala  Lumpur.
A former training partner of former national No 1 V.  Selvam, the 42-year-old played for Kuala Lumpur in the  Malaysian School Sports Council (MSSM) tennis competitions  in 1985 and 1986.
"I was actively involved in tennis during my schooldays at  Alam Shah Science School and started playing for my school.  In those days, students of my school make up the entire state  team,” said Mohamed at Balai Berita in Kuala Lumpur  yesterday.
“Selvam and I are from Negri Sembilan but I moved to KL  because of studies. However, we still kept in-touch and  trained together.
Expressing rave reviews on the event, Mohamed, who  plays twice a week, is determined to do well
"The event provides a good opportunity for not only charity  but also networking. As a member of the Royal Kuala Lumpur  Rotary Club, I also do a lot of charity work,” he said.
Incepted in 2008, the tournament is making its return after   a one-year lapse.
Players will play five doubles matches each with different   partners and those, who accumulate the most points will be   declared the winners.
Each player will have to contribute a minimum of RM1,000   as participation fees while companies wanting to become    corporate donors must purse RM5,000 to have its logos in the   tournament’s publicity materials.
Corporate Communication head Wan Abdillah Wan Nawi  said the tournament is expected to attract 44 players.
“ Radio personality Seelan Paul and Sarawak Lawn Tennis  Association president Datuk Patrick Liew are among the  confirmed participants,” said Wan Abdillah.
The NSTP has also had a new tie-up with eCEOs Sdn Bhd as  the joint-partner for the charity event. - www.nst.com.my

Jaiwairiah wins three titles in SUKIPT Games

University Malaysia Perlis (UNiMAP) dominated proceedings with Jawairiah Noordin winning three gold medals in the recently-concluded Malaysian Institutions of Higher Learning Games (SUKIPT) tennis competition at the Universiti Putra Malaysia sports complex.
Syed Aqil Syed Naguib and Jawairiah Noordin, as expected won the men's and women's singles events.
In mixed doubles, Syed Agil-Jawairiah drubbed UTM's Syed Azhar Syed Naguib-Sharifah Syafinaz Syed Azmir 6-2, 6-2 in the final while UiTM's Huzaifah Rahizam-Farah Hamima Karim (UiTM) bagged the bronze. Jawairiah won the women's doubles title with Nur Afifah Syakiran Hassan.
UniMap also bagged the men's doubles gold when brothers Mohd Faeez Said-Mohd Fazree Said defeated Yip Li Kuan-Kevin Loke Ke Wei from Help University 6-0, 6-2. The bronze medal match saw Hanifah Rahizam-Akmal Hakim Mohamad Salleh emerge winners over Mackendy Manggis-Lukman Hakim Abd Aziz (USM) 6-0, 6-1.

Deedat a star in the making

AHMAD Deedat Abdul Razak continued his outstanding form on the ITF Junior Circuit by reaching the doubles semi-finals of the Sarawak Chief Minister's Cup (Grade Three) in Kuching on Saturday.
Ahmad Deedat and partner Armando Soemarno of Indonesia, who received a first-round bye, negotiated past Singapore's Rohan Kamdar and Japan's Leo Julien Sebaoun 6-0, 6-4 and third seeds Aman Agarwal of India and Britain's Sam Butler 6-2, 7-5 in an earlier round.
But the sixth seeds failed to continue their promising display, losing 6-1, 6-3 to unseeded Djurabeck Karimov of Uzbekistan and Austria's Gregor Schoefberger in the semi-finals. In singles, Ahmad Deedat and compatriot Colin Won bowed out in the third round.
Ahmad Deedat, 17, has to date recorded wins in doubles at the Malacca International Championships, Widjojo Soejono MNC Cup and the Jakarta International Championships, all Group Four-level events.
Malaysia's Alyssa Boey, 16, also made an impact in Kuching by qualifying for the girls' doubles semi-finals with Taiwan's Chang Ya Ting.
The unseeded pair, however, were edged by Taiwan's eventual champions Huang En Pei-Ma Yi Chi 3-6, 6-1, 10-7. - www.nst.com.my

Local tennis aces urged to go international

KUCHING: Local tennis players are urged to go beyond home shores and to compete internationally.
They are also encouraged to consider tennis as their fulltime career and to eventually become professionals where lucrative prize monies are for them to compete.
For those who excelled, millions of dollars in product endorsements and sponsorships are also being offered.
“You need to dispel the myth that Asians are handicapped in size and are incapable of winning Grand Slams. Some Asian players from China, Japan, India and other countries have already proven that they can win Grand Slam, ATP and WTA titles too,” said Assistant Sports Minister Datuk Lee Kim Shin.
Lee, also Assistant Minister of Communications, commended Sarawak Lawn Tennis Association (SLTA) committee led by their president Dato Patrick Liew for their commitment and spirit of volunteerism in organising the exciting Sarawak Chief Minister’s Cup ITF Junior Tennis Championship since 2001.
“Your success in promoting tennis in Sarawak and Malaysia have not gone unnoticed and the Sarawak government will continue to support SLTA in popularising and uplifting the standard of tennis,” said Lee during the recent welcoming dinner for the ongoing event.
He urged SLTA to bid for the hosting of semi-pro men’s competitions after having successfully organised the women’s semi-pro event here last year.
“Stay focused in your development programmes to produce more players for national competitions like Sukma and international competitions like ITF,” Lee told SLTA while expressing hope for Sarawak to produce semi-pro and even professional players in the future.
“We already have Mohd Assri Merzuki who is being prepared to become a semi-pro player and we hope to produce more such players,” he added. - www.theborneopost.com

DLP back in the fray

DLP SPORTING Goods has remained as one of the most loyal supporters of the CEO and Celebrity Charity Tennis and will become the event's official supplier of Dunlop tennis balls at the National Tennis Complex in Jalan Duta on Dec 9.
The company's director Alan Tang said the event's noble cause and creativity have been the reasons they have been supplying Dunlop balls and T-shirts since the inception of the event in 2008.
"The CEO Celebrity Charity Tennis has a nice concept and works towards a noble cause which has attracted us since the beginning," said Tang.
 "It is one of the rare tennis events that brings together CEOs, celebrities and ambassadors and we hope the event will achieve its target again.
"We will be contributin balls and T-shirts for the players, officials and ball boys worth RM15,0000. We will also be giving away our latest tennis racquets, the Dunlop Biomimetic, to the winner."
A total 44 players are expected to compete in the event and so far, 15 have confirmed their entries.
The CEO and Celebrity Charity Tennis event raised RM61,160 in 2010, and the NSTP charity fund is looking forward to a similar target to continue offering help to children with medical conditions.
Each player will have to contribute a minimum RM1,000 as participation fee while companies wanting to become corporate donors must purse RM5,000 to place their logos in the tournament's publicity material.
The competition has a unique format whereby players will get different partners for the five matches where they will play only one set.
 If a pair manage a 6-0 whitewash, both players will be awarded six points and the player with the highest number of points will be declared the winner.
Consultant cardiologist Datuk Dr Devan Pillay won the event in 2010. The event was not held last year.
The NSTP has also had a new tie-up with eCEOs Sdn Bhd as the joint-partner for the event.