Myanmar to include lawn tennis in SEAG?

MANILA, Philippines - There is a very strong possibility now that lawn tennis will be played in the 27th Southeast Asian Games in Myanmar in December.

Romeo Magat, secretary-general of the Philippine Lawn Tennis Association, yesterday said officials of the Tennis Federation of Myanmar (TFM) have expressed their readiness to host the event.

“It’s 90 percent,” said Magat.

Lawn tennis was one of the Olympic events that were scrapped by organizers of the coming SEA Games along with dance sport, bowling, gymnastics and beach volleyball.

But Magat, who served as chef-de-mission of the Philippine team to the 2011 SEA Games in Indonesia, said other member countries did not give up in pushing for its inclusion in this year’s calendar. 

He said that in a recent meeting among the region’s tennis officials, the foreign countries went to the extent of asking their respective ambassadors to communicate with their counterpart in Myanmar.

“We told them, ‘Why don’t we try the diplomatic approach,’” said Magat. 

Present during the April 9 meeting were the deputy sports minister of Myanmar, TFM head Aung Mao and the secretary of the Myanmar Olympic Committee.

Magat said he just received word from Indonesian tennis officials that Myanmar is now ready to include tennis in its calendar that offers 460 gold medals in 33 sports. 

Myanmar recently hosted a Davis Cup tie between Pakistan and New Zealand, and soon the Myanmar International Tennis Project. The country has also hosted the Davis Cup in 2005 and 2007.

“Judging from the statements, this is a done deal for tennis,” Magat said.