Tennis group wants RP on top in Asia

A group of senior tennis players has embarked on a mission to bring the Philippines back to the pinnacle of Asian tennis through a massive program designed to encourage and promote the sport among the youth.

The group is a non-profit organization designed to assist Filipino players in their quest for a place alongside the world’s elite through equal and proper training condition.

"We commit to work unequivocally for the realization of this vision. Our mission should be to develop and implement a comprehensive tennis development scheme that will address wider search for tennis proteges and continuous tennis program," said Arturo "Bong" Ilagan, former Project: Gintong Alay director and a frontrunner of the Philippine Youth Tennis Development Association in the 80s.

After lording it over the tennis giants of Asia, when the national tennis team composed of Felix Barrientos, Roland So and Raymond Suarez demolished China and Japan to qualify in the "World Cup" in Davis Cup, Philippine tennis has been on the slump.

"Our losses to Indonesia right in our soil, where we led, 2-0, only to lose out in the finals and to Uzbekistan, 5-0, which relegated us for the first time in Group II of the Oceanic Zone, do not speak well about the status of tennis prevailing in our country today," said Ilagan. "It is in this despicable scenario where the new tennis body hopes to make an indelible mark towards improving the lackluster performance of our players in competition abroad."

"The organization can extend the necessary assistance to upgrade the standard of Philippine tennis and lift the game out of the doldrums where it is today," Ilagan said.

Initially, the tennis organization will hold senior and Open tennis tournaments while indirectly raising funds for the development of talented age-groupers.

"Age groupers, if they are to become world tennis caliber, should have financial means to sustain this goal.Clubs are the best source and supporters of tennis potentials at this particular level," he added.

"Promoting seniors tennis competitions, which are sadly lacking in our country today, is an essential factor in encouraging our youth to take up the game. When children see their parents play, this encourages them to follow and thus, use their leisure time to indulge in this sport instead of resorting to the use of drugs," Ilagan said.

Likewise, promoting pro-tennis competitions, which are lacking in the country, is an essential factor in developing our age-groupers to become one of international stature. It will, at the same time, improve the lackluster performance of our national players in competition abroad, he added.