The 29th edition of the Sabah State tennis inter affiliates tournament ended well with KK LTA grabbing all the titles at stake and winning the Sabah Chief Minister Overall Champion Challenge trophy.
The titles at stake are the Men’s , Ladies, Juniors and Veterans categories. As host KK gathered all their tennis players to play in the yearly annual tournament.
A total of 9 affiliates took part. This is the first time the tournament had 9 affiliates participating.
The trophies up for grabs are:
Overall Team Champion – SABAH CHIEF MINISTER CHALLENGE TROPHY.
Men’s Team Champion – SABAH YOUTH & SPORTS MINISTER CHALLENGE TROPHY.
Ladies’ Team Champion – SABAH TOURISM & ENVIRONMENT MINISTER C TROPHY.
Junior’s Team Champion – AJIT MANNAN CHALLENGE TROPHY.
Veteran’s Team Champion – SABAH TENNIS PRESIDENT CHALLENGE TROPHY.
The runner up to the overall champion is Sandakan, who clinched the number two position for the Veteran’s and Men’s categories. Labuan came strong for the number 2 in the juniors category. Keningau sparang a surprise by grabbing the number 2 in the ladies category. Keningau had the services of some “imported” players. Kudat came third in the men’s, while Tawau had to be content with third in the veteran’s.
In the men’s Sandakan gave KK a strong fight but could not do much to upset them. The ladies category saw KK in superior position with the services from an ex national Korean lady player Mary Kim.
The annual tournament brings all the tennis players from all over the state to converge to a host district for the event. Its like a family of father, mother, daughter and son carnival for tennis. Sabah Tennis President in his welcoming speech at the welcome dinner stressed to the affiliates to make it a pint to participate in the yearly event. This is the only event where all players from all categories and sectors participate in carnival like tennis in a family manner.
It is also a way of formalizing “lost” relationship among district tennis players. Time to make new friends, foster and enhance friendship and most of all to embrace 1 Malaysia concept. Tennis like other sports is creed, religion and color blind. Sabah Tennis always practice this concept.
Tennis also keeps one fit and away kids from undesirable elements and distractions.
Johnson Koh also stressed to all affiliate officials to promote aggressively junior tennis and to organize more tennis tournaments to keep the tennis interest high. Tournaments among the commercial and Government sectors must be on going yearly. In this aspect STA have been organizing the TYT yearly doubles tournament between the Government and Commercial sectors to celebrate the TYT’s birthday and commemorate Malaysia day.
Sabah Tennis is always finding ways to promote and scout talent from among school kids. Last year Sabah was a very proud year for Sabah Tennis as our very own junior was ranked number ONE in Asia in the 14 years age category. This is the first for Malaysia in any category to be ranked number ONE in Asia.
In the welcoming dinner the sports ministry sent one representative and the MSN also send one representative. This shows that tennis is being recognized and respected in the eyes of the Ministry and MSN.
