Top junior tournament at Marsa starts tomorrow

The Marsa Sports Club will be hosting this year's international tournament for juniors under the aegis of the Malta Tennis Federation (MTF) and the International Tennis Federation (ITF).

"Undoubtedly this MTF initiative is the direct result of our active participation in the junior sub-committee of Tennis Europe and the ITF," a MTF statement said.

MTF president Tony Cilia Pisani forms part of the ruling body of European Junior Tennis.

The first qualifiers at Marsa are scheduled for tomorrow and play from the Main Draw gets underway on Sunday.

This year has seen an unprecedented number of international entries, with the organisers, directed by MTF vice president Mark Camilleri, having to run a full 48 qualifying draw for the boys and a 32 qualifying draw for the girls. This was done to accommodate the number of players taking part.

Asciak unavailable

The MTF said Malta's no.1 and 2006 boys' event winner Matthew Asciak had to withdraw due to illness. Local hopes for success now hinge on the country's no.2 player, Matija Pecotic.

Clayton Zammit and Denzel Agius, two other members of the national squad, are in the Main Draw and both looking forward to taking on the foreign players' challenge on home soil.

Three girls from the national squad are also in the Main Draw.

These are Elaine Genovese, Elena Jetcheva and Kim Cassar. Following the recent Gasan Mamo Top 4 tournament, held last month, all three are playing at the top of their game.

National coach Robert Tarpey said: "This tournament is very important for the Maltese. It gives them a great chance to increase their ITF rankings and the girls valuable match practice ahead of next month's Federation Cup matches in Mauritius."