Tennis, squash Open starts

THE combined Port Moresby Tennis and Squash Open starts today at the Port Moresby Racquets Club, and will be one of the sports’ biggest events, with 140 players set to compete.
The premier event on the city’s tennis and squash calendar ends on Sunday, with players from the National Capital District, Lae, Madang, Mt Hagen and Australia competing.
The number of participants is an increase of 60 players from last year’s Open.
Tennis will include men’s and women’s singles events, men’s and women’s doubles events, as well as Under-14, U12 and U10 events.
In squash, events will include men’s and women’s Open draws, B-grade (mixed), C-grade (mixed), and U14 draws.
With close to 100 matches to be played this weekend, the club’s seven tennis and three squash courts will be fully utilised to ensure the completion of matches.
Papua New Guinea’s leading female squash player Lynette Vai will play.
The 18-year-old, who won a gold medal at last year’s Pacific Games, is back in the country after taking time off her studies in Malaysia.
Vai will be competing in the squash women’s open draws. PNG number one men’s squash player, Madako Suari Junior, will be back to defend his Port Moresby Squash Open title, which he won last year.
Suari is ranked No.2 in the Pacific after winning the silver medal in the men’s singles event in last year’s Pacific Games.
Last year’s tennis Open winner, Robin Morove, will be defending his title.
He also plays squash and is currently ranked No.2 in the country after Suari.
Port Moresby Racquets Club president Tim Kriebisch said this year’s Open was the biggest he had seen since arriving in the country eight years ago.
Kriebisch said there was a lot of talent in the country and he hoped events such as the Port Moresby Open would help to uncover young racquet sports stars of the future.
The Open starts at 4pm today and continues on to Sunday, when the finals will be held.
Interested members of the public are invited to attend.
Entry is free.
The event was made possible with the support of gold sponsor On Track Solutions Ltd as well as silver sponsors Nambawan Trophy Haus and Johnston’s Pharmacy.