Dubai: The West Asia region has supported a huge spurt in tennis activities while pursuing an interactive development programme in the region over the next few years.

The West Asia Tennis Development Committee of the Asian Tennis Federation (ATF) met in Dubai earlier this week under the auspices of its chairperson Sara Ahmad Baker, Vice-President, ATF, and General Secretary of Tennis Emirates. Others attending the meeting were Asso Adel, President, Iraq Tennis Federation, Fouad Al Roiei, General Secretary, Bahrain Tennis Federation, Seddik Al Hashemi, Treasurer, Oman Tennis Federation, Mohammad Nasser Ajaji, Former General Secretary, Saudi Arabia Tennis Federation, Slah Bramly, Technical Director, TE and Amin Borghei, the West and Central Asia ITF Development Officer.

The meeting laid emphasis on the establishment of joint training camps among West Asian countries so that youngsters can gain experience while improving their technical abilities in the sport. “It is important that we do not lag behind as a region in making progress in tennis. We have urged member nations from West Asia to intensify their activities especially at the local and regional levels so that the development of tennis is ensured and reflected in the ATF Under-14 rankings, the ITF Under-18 World Junior Rankings and finally the ATP Men’s and WTA Women’s professional rankings,” Baker noted at the end of the meeting.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has called for a fresh strategy spanning four years wherein each region is required to pursue the development of sport leading up to the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

“All have agreed on the proposals to organise more ATF Under-14 and ITF Under-18 circuit events among West Asian Federation countries as this can only benefit our players in developing and taking their game to the next level,” she added.

The meeting further discussed the importance and need of participating at various international competitions such as the World Junior Tennis Cup qualification, the Junior Davis Cup and Fed Cup, the Asia Oceania Davis Cup for men and Asia Oceania Women’s Fed Cup Qualifying events.

“There are several educational programmes such as the ITF Coaching, ITF Officiating Education Programme and ITF Administrators that can further empower youths from the West Asian region,” Baker said.

“We are committed in making a major difference in the development of tennis in the West Asia region,” she vouched.