KUCHING: South Korea, Japan, Chinese Taipei and China have secured their places in the girls category of the ITF World Junior Tennis Finals after a week of high-intensity matches at the Asia-Oceania Final Qualifying Tournament, held at the Sarawak Lawn Tennis Association (SLTA) grounds here.
South Korea edged Japan 2-1 to top the standings while Chinese Taipei defeated China 2-0 to finish third and fourth, respectively.
The finals will take place in Prostejov, Czech Republic, from Aug 4 to 9, featuring some of the world’s top under-14 tennis talents.
Minister for Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development (MYSED), Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah expressed his gratitude to the International Tennis Federation (ITF) for entrusting SLTA with the hosting duties and for their continued commitment to developing junior tennis in the region.
“This evening’s gathering is organised for us to celebrate the spirit of youth, competition, and international friendship among the players from various countries around the globe.
“We are privileged to host young talents from 18 nations, each bringing not only their skills but also the unique culture and pride of their respective countries,” he said during the welcoming and fellowship dinner on Monday (April 7).
Also present at the event were Deputy Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts, Datuk Sebastian Ting, MYSED permanent secretary Morshidi Frederick, and Sarawak Sports Corporation acting CEO Khairul Nizam.
Joining them were SLTA president Datuk Patrick Liew, ITF representative Catherine Michies and tournament referee Puneet Gupta.
Meanwhile, the Asia-Oceania Final Qualifying ITF World Junior Tennis U14 Boys Championship is set to begin on Wednesday (April 8), with 16 nations vying for a spot in the world finals.
