KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia is gearing up to host the prestigious International Tennis Federation (ITF) Women’s World Tennis Tour for the third consecutive year.
From March 4 to 10, the National Tennis Centre in Kuala Lumpur will serve as the battleground for 80 top-notch tennis players hailing from 11 different countries.
Among the contenders vying for the championship title are rising stars such as Japan’s Naho Sato – ranked 395th in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), and Hong Kong’s Cody Wong – seeded second at 408th.
Homegrown talent will also take centre stage, as Malaysian players including Elsa Wan Rahman, Saw Jo Leen, and Nao Phang showcase their skills against an international field.
Lawn Tennis Association of Malaysia (LTAM) president Mirzan Mahathir envisions the tournament as a catalyst for elevating Malaysia’s status in the global tennis arena.
“We have noticed an increase in the sport’s fanbase in the country through tournaments like this, and we hope to continue by ensuring that Malaysia becomes the household name for this tournament in the coming years.
“I hope that our players can learn and compete with the best talents around the world so that they can also increase their WTA rankings and push themselves to greater heights.
“We will have players from Japan, Hong Kong, China, Germany, Chinese Taipei, South Korea, Slovakia, Romania, France, and Australia, and the tournament will indeed be exciting,” said Mirzan at a press conference at the National Tennis Centre in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
With support from the Youth and Sports Ministry and the Malaysia Stadium Corp, the ITF Women’s World Tennis Tour promises to be a spectacle for tennis enthusiasts and sports fans alike, offering a total prize purse of US$15,000 (RM71,182.50).
For the record, the Malaysian women’s national team secured a commendable sixth place in the Billie Jean King Cup last July, defeating Hong Kong in the classification match.
Malaysia ranks fifth in the all-time SEA Games medal table for tennis, with a remarkable tally of 21 medals, including three silvers and 18 bronzes.
The men’s doubles pair of Zainuddin Meah and Mohd Akbar Baba hold historical significance as the first Malaysians to clinch a medal in the SEA Games, achieving this milestone at the 1973 edition in Singapore.
Malaysia also has a record of winning two bronze medals in the Asian Games. – March 3, 2024