Tennis scrapped in Myanmar SEAG

LAPU-LAPU CITY, Philippines – Tennis players and officials are bracing for the possibility that tennis will not be included in the calendar of  the  2013 Southeast Asian Games in Myanmar.

Tennis is one of the sports the Burmese host are proposing to scrap from the program of the Dec. 1-11 SEA Games and initial reports coming from the latest SEAG Federation meeting showed the racket game’s chances for inclusion becoming dimmer.

“This is bad news for us,” said Philippine Tennis Association secretary general Romeo Magat, after receiving a text message from Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) sec-gen Steve Hontiveros stating that “tennis is out.” 

Hontiveros was in Myanmar over the weekend to attend the SEAGF meeting, which discussed the Games’ calendar.

The Philta has been looking forward to sending a team to the Myanmar  to continue its winning tradition in the Games. The last time in Indonesia, Phl netters captured one gold medal (Treat Huey and Denise Dy in mixed doubles ), two silver medals (Cecil Mamiit and Huey in men’s doubles and Mamiit, Jeson Patrombon and Huey in men’s team), and three bronzes (Mamiit in men’s singles, Clarice Patrimonio in women’s singles and Patrimonio, Dy, Marian Jade Capadocia in women’s team).

“If that (tennis’ exclusion) happens, we’ll focus all our efforts on the Davis Cup,” said Huey.