KUCHING: Sarawak continues to shine as a key destination for sports tourism, illustrated by the success of the 40th Premier Sarawak Cup ITF World Tennis Tour Junior J300.
Deputy Minister of Transport and tennis enthusiast Datuk Henry Harry Jinep praised the Sarawak Lawn Tennis Association (SLTA) for hosting this notable international event, which drew over 200 players from 28 countries.
“Sarawak has become a sports tourism hub thanks to the dedicated efforts of organisations like SLTA, under the leadership of its president, Datuk Patrick Liew.
“These players came from across the globe, competing for top honours and aiming to advance their careers as professional tennis athletes.
“And many talented international players have competed here. Having played here before, they are now succeeding on the international stage,” he said during the prize-giving ceremony at the SLTA Centre here today.
Moreover, Henry emphasised the need for the SLTA to upgrade its facilities to accommodate Sarawak’s growing role as a host for international sports events.
He acknowledged the support from the Sarawak government but the SLTA must also contribute to meeting the increasing demands of hosting such events.
“We hope for an increase in funding because the event’s scale and participation are expanding every year. Therefore, we must enhance our standards to provide a world-class experience for all participants,” he added.
The event concluded with Jagger Leach of the USA winning the boys’ singles category and Kristina Penickova, also from the USA, taking the girls’ singles title at the tournament held from April 21 to 28.
The top players from this tournament will go on to compete in the Junior Championships Wimbledon 2024 Tournament in July.
