FOR the fifth successive year, the Trophy Stall of Bourda Market, Hadi’s City Mall Inc. and South Road, have partnered with the Guyana Tennis Association (GTA), sponsoring that entity’s Doubles Tournament which serves off next Saturday at the National Racquet Centre on Woolford Avenue.Devi Sunich, wife of the proprietor of Trophy Stall Ramesh Sunich, last Wednesday afternoon handed over the sponsorship cheque and symbolic partner trophies to president of the GTA Grace McCalman for the hosting of the 5th consecutive Trophy Stall Doubles Tennis Tournament.
The tournament will be conducted over three weekends starting from 29th November and run until Sunday 14th December with matches being played primarily at the National Racquet Centre on Saturdays and Sundays from 09:00hrs to 17:00hrs.
Matches will also be contested at the Le Ressouvenir Tennis Club from 17:00hrs to 21:00hrs on weekends and some weekdays and the categories being contested are Ladies Open, Men’s Open, Men’s Over-35, Men’s Over-45, Mixed and Novice Medley Doubles respectively.
At the presentation, McCalman recognised the unwavering support of the sponsor not only to tennis but to sports in general and reminded Ms. Sunich that the launching of this tournament in 2010 recreated significant interest in competitive doubles.
Players, both male and female, who were considered novice at that time, are now confidently venturing into the Open categories and McCalman expressed her optimism about the expected quality of matches, even though she lamented the loss of several competing veteran doubles players over the years as club facilities declined and players migrated.
The majority of great doubles players generally emerge from active recreational clubs especially when there are lighted courts for extended play late in the evening.
Despite this obvious limitation, there has been steady improvement in doubles among juniors and novices over the last few years as clubs continue to make efforts to rejuvenate their membership.
In the highly anticipated Men’s Open category, reigning GBTI Open doubles champions Jason Andrews and Anthony Downes are expected to lead the field, but there is word of a possible teaming up of top junior Daniel Lopes with former Men’s champion Phillip Squires to create a potent force for net play.
Other pairs are the veteran team of Leyland Leacock and Nicholas Fenty who were the finalist last year and the Glasgow brothers.
These exciting match ups promise to make this fifth edition of the tournament, the most exciting and entertaining one yet and Tournament Coordinator Gavin Lewis can be reached at 656-3449, while entrance forms which have been distributed at clubs are due to be submitted by next Wednesday.
All players are urged to participate and attend the Opening Ceremony scheduled for 08:45hrs before the official serve off is made next Saturday.