The Sinhales Sports Club will be hosting the 4th consecutive international NEC Wheelchair Tennis Open Tournament on 25th, 26th and 27th of February at SSC courts.
Diesel and Motor Engineering PLC (DIMO) and Bank of Ceylon have sponsored the event . This was revealed in a media briefing which held at SSC courts this evening.
The tournament would be a noteworthy Wheelchair Tennis tournament on the ITF future series and is offering prize money of 2000 US$. The number 1 ranked male and female players at the end of the year will be honored as the wheelchair Tennis world champions during the ITF world champions dinner which will be held at Roland Garros.
The 69th rank player Upali Rajakaruna will participate on the event to bring glory to Sri Lanka while top ranked players especially from India and Australia will take part. The play-offs will enable all the players to get more international ranking points for the forth coming world cup in Turkey.
MRS. Valentino Calvo, a representative from ITF speaking to TP stated, “Its my first time in Sri Lanka and my first time in the tournament. I believe this would be a grand event. There are so many Sri Lankan players such as Upali and Gamini, they are the highest ranked players. It is not very easy for us to travel around the world. But we are here in Sri Lanka now to succeed the mega event.”
Mr. Gihan Perera, The chairman of the organizing committee of SSC further added, “By hosting events of this nature, we hope to help our players improve their current world rankings and, to do so, we want to attract the much needed sponsors so as to take this sport and the players forward.”
The media briefing concluded with the presence of Mr. Yohan Thilakarathne, AGM corporate communication DIMO PLC, Mr. Pandula Kuruppu, Chairman TLTC SSC, Mr. W. T. Ellawala President SSC, Mr. R. M. Haputhanthri, AGM, Overseas branches, BOC.
