A press conference was held at the Sri Lanka Tennis Association on the 23rd of January in order to announce the organizing of three back to back Men’s Futures tournaments in order to celebrate the association’s centenary year.
Each tournament will have a grand total of $10000 prize money up for grabs and is set to attract some of the top players in the world from a host of countries including Chinese Taipei, Portuagal, Spain, Canada, Austria, India, Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand and many more.
The first of the three tournaments is scheduled to take place from the 2nd to the 6th of February and is scheduled to be worked off the Queens Club premises. The second tournament will commence on the 9th and is set to conclude on the 13th whereas the final tournament will be played from the 16th to the 20th of February. Both the second and third tournament s are scheduled to take place at the Sri Lanka Tennis Association.
The press conference that commenced at 5.30 pm was graced by the following dignitaries who sat at the head table. Mr. Madhawa Edussuriya (General Manager Nation Lanka Finance PLC), Mr. M.M Mohamed (Managing Director Ralhum Trading private ltd), Mr. Iqbal Bin Issack (President SLTA), Mr Udith Wickramasinghe (Vice President SLTA), Mr. Dinith Pathiraja (Tournament Director) and Mr. S. Pushparajan (Chairman of the Sponsorship Committee).
Mr. Issack delivered the welcome address and in his speech thanked the print and electronic media for all the support given in order to promote the sport of tennis. He also went on to thank Nation Lanka Finance for stepping forward in order to sponsor the first of the three tournaments. He also added that the association had many more grand plans to come in order to celebrate 100 wonderful years of which some of the plans include refurbishing the SLTA office premises and a grand dinner hosting dignitaries from the International and Asian Tennis Federations.
Mr. M.M. Mohamed who is the Managing Director of Ralhum Trading (official ball sponsor for the tournament) also addressed the gathering and had the following to say. ‘Dunlop has been a part of Sri Lankan Tennis for a number of years and I must commend the association on the wonderful steps taken in order to organize such a tournament which we as an organization our honored to be a part of’. He also went on to add that he believes more cooperates should get involved in the sport as it is only then that the necessary funds will be available in order to unearth the true potential the sport has. Having said that he also went on to thank the International Tennis Federation for giving Sri Lanka the opportunity to host tournaments of such magnitude which he believes will be a highlight of the upcoming year as it is after a period of 10 years that Sri Lanka is organizing a Futures tournament.
The final speech of the evening was delivered by Mr. Pathiraja who informed all those gathered regarding the details of the tournament. He also announced that the referee for the tournament will be Mr. Jemin You from Korea who will be ably assisted by the Sri Lankan contingent of White Badge referees namely Muffadal Hazari, Dharaka Ellawala, Dinusha Wijesuriya, Prasad Jayalatharachchi along with an Indian umpire V. Santhosh. Mr. Pathiraja also went on to thank the Grand Slam Development Fund for making a contribution towards the organizing of the second tournament and assured those gathered that the remaining finances will be raised by Mr Pushparajan and his sponsorship team.
The event came to a close with the official handing over of the cheque from the General Manager of Nation Lanka Finance Mr. Edussuriya to the President of the SLTA in order to signify their commitment as the sponsors of the first tournament.
