The ITF U-18 world ranking tournament gets underway at the Marsa Sports Club this weekend.

This competition opens the Malta Tennis Federation's 2010 calendar of international events to be hosted here, with four other Tennis Europe U-16 and U-14 between June and December to follow.

This year's tournament is expected to attract a record entry with 96 boys and 96 girls playing in tomorrow's qualifying rounds before the main draw of 48 players each for the boys and girls singles.

Play from the main draw starts on Monday with the finals scheduled for April 1 and 2.

The ITF entry list for the U-18 tournament sees the participation of players from most major tennis countries in the world. These will include a substantial number of players ranked under the 500-mark, including Ulvefeldt Malin (Sweden, girls no.209) and Bretting Dimitri (Switzerland, boys no.228).

David Farrugia Sacco, Malta Tennis Federation president, has encouraged Maltese juniors to participate in the U-18 tournament.

Most of them have already been exposed to the international game, having travelled to participate in various overseas events before.

The juniors flying the Malta flag at Marsa SC will be: Omar Suzuka, Raphael Sammut, Patrick Geor-giev, Julian Sammut and Matthew Booker for the boys event, and Kimberly Cassar, Brenda Galea, Klara Sitarova and Suzanne Mifsud for the girls.

The official ball for the com-petition will be Wilson and Farsons Group have again confirmed their support for the game through the San Michel sponsorship.

In a statement, the tennis federation expressed its gratitude to all those giving their backing to the tournament, particularly the Marsa Sports Club for the use of its facilities, and main sponsors GasanMamo Insurance and Go.