The Malta Tennis Federation, in conjunction with the Tennis Section of the Marsa Sports Club, is once again organising an International Tennis Federation Under 18 world ranking tournament. Main sponsor of the tournament is Galbani. Other sponsors are the Maltese Council for Sport, Gasan Mamo Insurance Ltd. Commercial partners of the MTF, San Michel and Wilson, as well as the Marsa Sports Club, who have put their courts at the disposal of the organisers.

Addressing a news conference yesterday, MTF president Tony Cilia Pisani said it was not the first time that youngsters taking part in such a tournament, emerged among the top ranked players in the world, among them Andrei Medvedev of the Ukraine and Adrian Voinea of Romania.

The organisation of such a tournament requires long-term planning. Mark Camilleri started the process months ago while the expertise of the MSC’s Mario Cutajar and veteran organiser Oswald Tanti served in good stead in the ‘clou’ draw stage immediately preceding the tournament.

Play started on Saturday with the qualifying rounds. 6 boys and four girls qualified from the preliminary stage to the Main Draw. They were joined by four boys and one girl, ‘lucky losers’ who replaced the five players who did not sign-in. The Main Draw events which started on Monday showed a distinctly improved standard of play.

Maltese boys Denzil Agius and Clayton Zammit were among the losers on the first day of the Main Draw. Their co-national team-mate Matija Pecotic from Croatia is also in the Main Draw. It is a pity that last year’s winner Matthew Asciak, the local top player, is indisposed and cannot play. He had won the tournament last year and was therefore missing a good opportunity to win points towards an improvement in his ranking. Cilia Pisani said the MTF had high hopes for Asciak in this tournament.

Yesterday the Maltese colours were defended by Kimberly Cassar and Elaine Genovese in the girls’ section. Jelena Jetcheva from Bulgaria, who forms part of our Ladies’ national squad, yesterday won her match convincingly.

Top seeds of the tournament are Emanuele Molina from Italy in the boys event and Amandine Hesse from France in the girls tournament.

Players mostly hail from Europe but there are a few participants from the United States, Bermuda and Canada. In the Main Draw, Great Britain is fielding seven girls and eight boys while Italy is represented by seven boys and one girl.

Play will proceed daily from 9am onwards. Weather permitting, the tournament will come to its conclusion on Sunday. Spectators are welcome to attend. Entrance is free.