KUCHING: Sarawak’s rising tennis star Mohd Assri Merzuki is looking forward to earn his first Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) rankings before the end of next year.
He hopes to do well in international competitions to repay the faith, trust and support that the Sarawak government, SLTA president Datuk Patrick Liew and corporate sponsors that had put in him to become a professional player.
“I am really determined to make it to the US Open Junior grand slam and earn my ATP ranking points before August 2013,” the 17-year-old kampung boy from Semariang Baru said yesterday.
He expressed his heartfelt appreciation to all those who have supported him in one way or another and make his dream come true – to play in international competitions and become a professional one day.
Assri received a big boost from Danawa Resources Sdn Bhd yesterday which pledged RM10,000 in sponsorship of sports attire and equipment for the four international ITF tournaments that he will be competing this year.
They are the Melaka ITF Junior Group 4 tournament starting next week, Brunei ITF Junior Group 4, Sarawak Chief Minister Cup World ITF Junior in Kuching and the Manila ITF Junior Group 1 tournament.
Liew said he hoped to see Assri doing well in all four tournaments.
“We hope to see him improve his ITF Junior rankings and this is a crucial time for us to decide whether we can further develop him into a professional player.
Hopefully by July next year, he can get into the US Open Junior and I do believe this is achievable if he puts in his full commitment, focus, hard work and dedication.”
SLTA is also planning to send Assri to two to four ATP events this year to boost his singles rankings. Liew said Sarawak had invested about RM500,000 on Assri since 2006 to develop him into a professional player.
“We hope that other corporate bodies will come forward as sponsors,” he added.
Assri has trained for a month in Barcelona, Spain, one and a half months in Bucharest, Romania and 18 months in Florida, US.
The investment has since paid dividends as Assri is now the top ITF Junior singles ranked player in Malaysia at 276.
His highest ITF Junior singles ranking was 234 and his ATP doubles rankings has improved from 820 to 798.
Meanwhile, Danawa Resources project manager Shahrir Mustapha said the company was honoured to be given the opportunity to sponsor Assri.
“We hope that with this sponsorship, he can excel in his future tournaments and especially as a professional player,” he said. (www.theborneopost.com)
