Roofing of four Likas tennis courts – the greatest gift for Sabah Tennis Association KKLTA and all tennis players.
That is the gift Sabah Tennis Association (STA) have been waiting, for the last five years. It’s worth the wait.
On top of that STA also applied for the resurfacing of the tennis courts, but this is the disappointing part.
Until now year end there is no solution, even after meeting the Chief Minister twice. STA and the whole tennis fraternity will still wait hopefully not five years.
The good news continued with friendly matches with MARA Sabah tennis and Korean Ladies visiting Kota Kinabalu in January.
STA meanwhile intensified her efforts in scouting talent from among schools.
In March Christian Chin, Sabah’s most improved player after tagged as ATF number one in 2014, continued his prolific run by winning his first ITF singles and doubles titles. This is the start of his good run in ITF.
Among the improved juniors who can continue to chase after what Christian did are Nurshaneem Shamsuddin, Hiew Kee Jun, Harish Manoharan, Darius Wong and Ryan Chee.
But there are others who are improving and yet to be counted by winning tournaments.
The 7th Asia Tennis Federation tournament was held again in Sabah after a lapse of 1 year due to calendar listing problem last year. Thailand Tanapatt won the boys single and Hong Kong Yu Fung won the girls.
The 31st inter affiliates tournament held in Kota Kinabalu saw KK won all the categories at stake: Men’s Sabah Sports Minister, Ladies’ Environment Minister, Junior’s Ajit Mannan and the Veteran’s President Challenge Trophies.
The overall Challenge trophy is the Sabah Chief Minister Trophy.
The STA Annual Grand Meeting had to be held twice due to technical matters as Semporna did not get registered in time for the AGM. Only Kota Belud managed to get in.
After twice convening the AGM Johnson Koh is still the President into his 11th year.
The new Vice President is Christopher Lim from Sandakan with Tito Latoja appointed as the new Honorary Secretary replacing Josephine George who held the post for 10 years and retiring for family reasons.
Ignatius Peter Govind a great player from Labuan bade farewell to us forever in 27 May.
Christian meanwhile continued to excel in outside and home tournaments. He partnered Azsseri Merzuki to win the national doubles tournament and got included in the Davies Cup representing Malaysia.
The Sandakan Coastal Bhd tournament attracted 80 players from KL and Kalimantan.
August saw a kiosk being set up by STA to service tennis players during tournaments for snacks and tennis restringing services. The kiosk is being managed by Rowena Reyes the wife of Shamsuddin and mother of Nurshaneem Shamsuddin.
In September as usual the date for Malaysia Day is reserved for the 1 Malaysia Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor Team Tennis Invitational Championship. This is the 10th series in the running.
Hytech Blended from KL won for the 2nd time beating Wilson Meerkat team also from KL formerly played as Wilson Lakeview team.
Tennis Malaysia national junior leg 7 was held in Kota kinabalu. Junior players from all over peninsula, Sarawak and Sabah participated.
September also saw STA president Johnson Koh reelected as the vice president of LTAM know in short known as Tennis Malaysia.
Sabah Masters junior year end tournament was held with 43 players from 6 categories.
October saw Christian Didier Chin being enrolled into the Johan Kriek Tennis Academy in the USA. This was through the effort of the father and Tennis Malaysia sending him to overseas tournaments.
Christian was spotted by JRTA coaches who witnessed Christian’s potential as a future champion.
Chrisitan has now qualified for the Australian Open junior tournaments followed by the Wimbledon and US Opens. The big door is open for Christian Chin from now on.
December also saw good news coming to Sabah’s lady Nurshaneem Imann Shamsuddin when Nick Bolletieri personally offered to take Nurshaneem into his tennis academy after seeing her playing during the coaching sessions when the legend came to have sessions in KL at the National tennis center KL.
Nick also offered her to study in the USA after she gets her good SAT results.
Both Christian and Nurshaneem are lucky to have been spotted by academy coaches as to get into academies by oneself is almost impossible.
Sabah’s tennis year ended with the Sabah Games or SAGA hoted in Sandakan. Tennis from 9 districts participated.
KK won the team girls event and Sandakan clinched the boys event. In the individual events Sandakan won the boys singles title and KK won the girls singles title.
Keni ngau is the most improved district so far. The other districts that fared well are Lahad Datu and Tawau.
STA President Johnson Koh thank all those who have assisted STA in every way. Special individual Datuk Sam Mannan for continuing his brother Ajit Mannan’s legacy.
Special thanks to the Sports ministry, Tourism ministry, DBKK, MSN and related authorities.
Great and special thanks to the Chief Minister for all the efforts to make tennis great all the time in Sabah.
