T7S Lawn Tennis C’ship commences in Jammu
Excelsior Sports Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 5: A three-day long T7S Lawn Tennis Championship commenced at Maulana Azad Stadium, here today which was inaugurated by Secretary, Sports Council, Nuzhat Gull.
The national level championship was organised by Jammu and Kashmir Lawn Tennis Association (JKLTA) in collaboration with J&K Sports Council under the aegis of All India Tennis Association (AITA).
Secretary, Sports Council, Nuzhat Gull stating that the Jammu and Kashmir administration is fully committed to transform the Union Territory into a vibrant hub of sports. She emphasized that sports alone has the potential to counter drug abuse and redirect the youth’s energy towards positive endeavours.
“We want our youth to excel in different sports disciplines for which the Government has prepared a roadmap and major initiatives are being taken to nurture the talent,” Gull said.
According to the Secretary, Jammu and Kashmir have been granted 100 Khelo India Centres, with 94 of them currently functioning. These centres are run by enthusiastic mentors and serve around 4500 athletes across different sports.
Gull stated that our athletes are receiving top-notch infrastructure, facilities, kits, and equipment to compete with athletes from other States. According to her, these efforts are yielding positive results as athletes from Jammu and Kashmir are winning medals and achieving great feats in the field of sports.
She stated that sports have the potential to guide our youth away from engaging in anti-social activities and drug abuse, leading them to become self-sufficient and competent individuals. The Secretary also ensured that the Lawn Tennis infrastructure will further be enhanced and be well equipped with additional courts to make this sport more popular among talented youth of Jammu and Kashmir, adding, “we will definitely be hosting one such event in Srinagar as well.”
Former Minister, R S Chib, expressed that even though he had previously served as the president of the association, there were certain obstacles that prevented him from advancing this game in the past. However, he regarded it as a source of pride for J&K that such a high-level tournament was being organized. Additionally, he emphasized the need for more tennis courts to be established, as he believes this game has great potential.
President, JKLTA, Murti Gupta also hailed the AITA for the prestigious Championship at Jammu and expressed gratitude to the Sports Council for the logistic support. Meanwhile, budding players in both boys and girls categories, appreciated the organisers for hosting the event stating that it will not only hone the talent but also help professionals to improve their rankings at the national level competitions.
Results of the day were Mohammad Qais beat Shashank Reddy (8-7, 9-7), Dixit beat Bhavyam (8-2), Abyam Verma beat Shivansh Koul (8-3),Vinamr Gupta beat Ayan Jain (8-4) and Anahad Dogra beat Saksham Amla by (8-1).