 Photographer: None / Not Applicable
Date: 29 Oct 2009 |  Photographer: None / Not Applicable
Date: 29 Oct 2009 |  Photographer: None / Not Applicable
Date: 29 Oct 2009 |  Photographer: None / Not Applicable
Date: 29 Oct 2009 |  Photographer: None / Not Applicable
Date: 29 Oct 2009 |  Photographer: None / Not Applicable
Date: 29 Oct 2009 |
|
| 29 Oct 2009 - Suresh Menon | |
| Success for Uzbekistan at ITF 13 & Under Asian Championships |
After eight days of keenly contested matches, the ITF Asian Junior Championships (Group 3) held in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan ended on a very positive note. The Championships, organized by the Turkmenistan Tennis Federation (TTF) for the third time since its inception, proved to be an outstanding event. Even the team from Afghanistan consisting of 4 boys and 4 girls and a coach made the very long and difficult journey by road to participate in these Championships. Although the Afghan team did not take home any prizes, their players enjoyed the opportunity to compete with the best Under 13 juniors in Central Asia.
The format of the event consists of two consecutive tournaments using a feed in consolation system in which all players have to play a single match each day, leading to a final overall ranking. Points are awarded for each tournament and added together at the end of the event, to provide the final ranking. This point ranking determines who will qualify to be on the ITF Team to participate in the next ITF development circuit as part of ITF's "pyramid of opportunity".
The ITF organized a one day training camp for the participants prior to the start of the first tournament which was conducted by Suresh Menon, ITF Development Officer for Asia.
Unsurprisingly, the Uzbekistan players continued their winning streak of the past few years by taking the top honours at both tournaments. A much more developed tennis nation than its neighbours, the Uzbek juniors reflected this in their performance. In the boy’s event Dilmurodbek Hasilov (UZB) and Rasuljon Ahmadaliev (UZB) emerged victories in tournaments one and two respectively. Artem Gorelov of Kazakhstan also produced some fine tennis to take an overall ranking of four in this championship. The Uzbek pairing of Nematjon Naimov and Hasilov teamed up in doubles to win tournament one while their compatriots Ahmadaliev and Jurabek Karimov won tournament two.
Arina Folts of Uzbekistan produced some fine tennis to win the first girls singles and Valeriya Korotina (UZB), the finalist in tournament one, went on to win tournament two. Zarina Jumajanova (KAZ) and home favorite Amangul Mollayeva (TKM) attained an overall ranking of five and six respectively. Korotina and Folts teamed up in doubles to win tournament one whilst team mates Yana Khon and Sarvinozhon Saidkhodjaeva won in the second week.
Suresh Menon was pleased with the results of this championship and commented: ”most of the players participating in these two tournaments began tennis in school through the ITF’s Junior Tennis Initiative (JTI). It is very rewarding to know that the programme is consistently producing results since first introduced to the Central Asian nations in 1997/98”. Serdar Bashyimov, Chairman of the Turkmenistan Tennis Federation (TTF), acknowledged: “At the present time there is only one international competition being organized in Turkmenistan annually, the ITF junior world ranking (JWR). TTF is always ready to host the ITF 13 and under championships as it is a very important competition for the Central Asian Region and, more importantly, for Turkmen juniors who are starved of international competitions. With the financial support received from the ITF, Turkmen juniors can have an opportunity to compete with the best juniors in the Central Asian Region.”
| The above documents are in Adobe Acrobat format. To view and print them you require the Acrobat Reader program installed on your computer. Click on the icon to download a free copy of the Reader. |  |
^ Back to Top
|
