Decentralising tennis atop new GLTA president’s list
Cristy Campbell (seated second from right) is joined by other members of her new GLTA executive. (Photo compliments: Newsroom)
Cristy Campbell (seated second from right) is joined by other members of her new GLTA executive. (Photo compliments: Newsroom)

By Rawle Toney

THE expansion of tennis to far-flung areas and outside of Region 4 is one of the top priorities for the new Guyana Lawn Tennis Association (GLTA) president, Cristy Campbell.

Campbell, who is also Guyana’s reigning National women’s champion, having won the last five consecutive titles, was voted in as president on Friday evening, when GLTA hosted its General Meeting and Elections at the National Racquet Centre, on Woodford Avenue.

Coming up against Anabel Sharma, the former Queen’s College standout student won 11 votes to three from the nine participating clubs present.

Only recently, Tennis was named as a Core Sport by Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr, which means that it qualifies for special attention and funding from his ministry, to help advance the game in Guyana.

“With tennis being categorised as a core sport, it makes the shoes a lot bigger to fill,” Campbell said when asked about how GLTA intends to handle the renewed focus being placed on the sport by the government.

“It means we have a lot more work to do and I hope we can decentralise tennis because I don’t want people to feel tennis is only for central Georgetown, and in the other regions they have never heard about tennis. So I would like to see how best we can have it played throughout the country,” Campbell said.

Since the onset of COVID-19 last year, tennis, like other sports in Guyana, was at a standstill. And even though disciplines such as cricket, track & field and motor racing would have seen a return to action, tennis remains in the group of other sports that are still awaiting approval from Guyana’s National Task Force for resumption.

According to Campbell, until GLTA is given the green light, we cannot really preempt what would happen to tennis.”

“As long as facilities are open and it’s safe to play, we are looking at the Inter-Guiana Games (IGG) which was scheduled for last year, and then the GBTI Open, which is our premier slam. So hopefully things ease a bit and we can host one or both of them by July,” the women’s tennis champion said.

A lot was happening behind the scenes in the lead-up to Friday’s elections, as Campbell pointed out that while there might have been some flared tempters she’s hoping that everyone can still work together in the interest of the sport.

The GLTA, the new president said, “will need the players, parents, coaches, stakeholders, everyone to come on board. I’m open to dialogue with anyone who would have something meaningful to add to the development of tennis.”

Nigel Niles is GLTA’s First vice-president, winning the post 10-4 over Patrick Mentore, while Surendra Khayyame was unopposed for the position of Second vice-president.

Delon Fraser and Patricia Hope were tied on seven votes in the run-off for the position of the  secretary. Hope withdrew her contention, giving Fraser the position.

Ramesh Seebaran is treasurer. Jamal Goodluck, Kimberly Conway, Marlin Henry and Renate Jordan are committee members.

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