…calls for more support

OVER six years ago, the Guyana Tennis Association rolled out a Novices development programme, which featured the inclusion of a Novices category at tournaments, allowing for persons new to the sport of tennis to get a taste of competition and to eventually graduate to the main categories of tournaments.
However, over the years the initiative has been experiencing a reduction in the number of persons involved, and the GLTA, through support from other sectors, is hoping to see the programme re-invigorated.

Though the inaugural Novices categories in 2011 had featured some 32 players, in the Novice Medley Singles of last month’s GBTI Open only 15 persons matched skills as males and females competed against each other.
The GTA noted that the decline can be attributed to the reduction of active clubs from 11 during that time down to 5 in 2017.
“This is a stark indication that the sport needs facilities and clubs nationwide to grow. In this regard, the GLTA continues to press the authorities to be non-discriminatory in their support for the sport that has over the years managed to successfully hold its own with little or no support,” a press release from the entity read.

President of the GTA, Jamal Goodluck, noted that a sort of brain drain of the administrators is what has been responsible for the dwindling club numbers, as well as unavailability of facilities.
“There has been a dip because of the spaces to play and the migration of the top administrators of the clubs. There were some other tennis courts that had clubs but no longer function or are in bad shape, e.g Pegasus, Corriverton and New Amsterdam.
However, we have some emerging clubs and private facilities such as Linden and Transport,” Goodluck explained.

Goodluck believes there’s still a role for the GLTA to play in helping to mitigate this blow somewhat.
“We intend to offer more administrative support as well as competition among the clubs. We recognised that there is a need for more active engagement and rivalries to build and sustain growth of clubs,” he said.
Since professional tennis is a sport with a very high learning curve, this is a way to increase participation in tennis in a rudimentary form.
This year featured prominent personalities, the likes of Delon Fraser, Liaison to the Crime Chief, who defeated Non Pareil Tennis Club president Surendra Khayyam 6-3 to take home the title.

In their semis, Fraser defeated U.S. Peace Corps Country Director Kury Cobham, 6-3 in semis and Khayyam edged Leonie Sears (7-5) who has improved significantly with only one year of training from Men’s champ Anthony Downes. Fraser will now advance to Open categories.
Ask any tennis player and they will tell you it’s like day and night playing someone in a friendly match as opposed to tournament conditions.
The Novices certainly would welcome the opportunity to compete against their peers instead of seasoned players and it is hoped that more players would participate to keep the category alive in future tournaments.