Eight junior tennis players returned victorious from the UK earlier this month after competing in their second annual LTA rating tournaments in the UK.
The contingent, consisting of three girls and five boys aged between 11 and 16 years, took part in both the Tipton and the Shrewsbury Welti events.
During the first week of the tournament, based at the prestigious Tipton Indoor Tennis Centre, the team played well and all achieved good results in each age group.
All the players reached either the quarter or semi-finals in their respective matches, with the biggest success being Bernard Cassar Torregiani who partnered his brother Matthew in winning the Boys doubles.
The second event at Shrewsbury saw the team obtain even better results. Raphael Sammut won the boys U-14 tournament and Rebecca McCarthy reached the final of the girls U-14, and after having five match points in the second set, she lost 6-4 in the third set.
The team achieved further good results were Bernard and Matthew again winning the boys doubles event and Rebecca McCarthy and Alexi Cassar winning the girls doubles.
Accompanying coaches Robert Tarpey and Omar Suzuka were very happy with the teams’ performance but were notably pleased with the exceptional progress of the two younger players, Zach Ciappara and Katrina Sammut who on their first MTF sponsored trip played well and gained valuable experience in competitive matches against some of the UK’s top juniors.
Tarpey added that the team had been a pleasure to travel with and had represented Malta well in both their commitment to the game and their on court behavior which had been exemplary.
MTF President Dr David Farrugia Sacco congratulated the players and coaches for these excellent results. He said that opportunity for participation in such tournaments may only come about through the combination of support from parents and from sponsors GasanMamo Insurance.
Julian Mamo, Director of GasanMamo said it was events such as these that reflect GasanMamo’s corporate social responsibility, even more when they are supplemented by such positive and tangible results.