Success story for Maltese players

Tennis has been one of our most successful disciplines at the Games of the Small States of Europe.

Helen Asciak and Carol Cassar Torregiani have written the history books in these Games as they won four consecutive gold medals in the doubles between 1987 and 1993. This pair then went on to claim a further bronze medal in the same event in Luxembourg in 1995.

Tennis players have amassed a total of 19 medals in past editions of the Games of the Small States of Europe so far - five gold, three silver and 11 bronze. The discipline was first introduced to the GSSE in 1987 in Monaco and has been included in all the subsequent editions of the Games.

The present Malta national squad combines seasoned faces and newcomers.

Gordon Asciak, Marcus Delicata and Mark Schembri will comprise the men's team whereas Lisa Camenzuli, Carol Cassar Torregiani and Rosanne Dimech are in the women's team.

Training under the watchful eye of national coach Dusan Janicijevic, of Serbia and Montenegro, the players have been undergoing an intensive training programme as well as participating at various international tournaments overseas. The ladies have just competed in the Federation Cup in Portugal.

Schembri and Delicata will be competing in the singles events whereas veteran Asciak will team up with Schembri in the doubles.

Camenzuli and young Dimech will figure in the singles events as Cassar Torregiani will be hopping for yet another medal in the doubles when she teams up with Camenzuli.

Following the intervention of Janicijevic himself, a number of ATP ranked players from Serbia and Montenegro have been visiting our islands regularly lately, acting as sparring partners to the members of the national team.

All tennis events will be staged at Marsa Sports Club's six courts including the Centre Court which has a seating capacity of 1,200. All games will be played in the afternoon with the first encounter starting at 1 p.m.

Carmelo Di Dio, of Italy, will be the International Technical Delegate at these Games.

GSSE Tennis Programme

Tuesday and Wednesday, June 3-4:
Preliminaries singles and doubles.

Thursday, June 5:
Men's singles SFs; ladies' singles SF; men's doubles SF; ladies' doubles SF.

Friday, June 6:
Ladies' doubles final at 3 p.m.; men's doubles final at 5.30 p.m.

Saturday, June 7:
Women's singles final at 1.30 p.m.; men's singles final at 4 p.m.