Doha: This season’s Qatar Tennis Federation (QTF)-InterContinental Doha Tennis Open 2012 tennis tournament will begin today at two venues - Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex and the Intercontinental Doha tennis courts, the QTF said yesterday.
The 15-day Open tournament will be contested in 19 different categories – Boys Under-8, Under-10, Under-12, Under-14, and Under-18, Girls Under-10, Under-12, Under-14 and Under 18, Boys Doubles Under-12, Doubles Under-14, Doubles Under-18, Ladies Singles and Doubles, Men’s Singles and Doubles, Men’s Veterans Singles and Doubles, and Mixed Doubles.
The QTF have added one new category, Boys Under-8 this year, in the tournament which ends on November 15.
“We are introducing the Boys Under-8 category this year. All the matches of this section will be played at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex. The size of the ball and the court dimensions will be of a smaller dimension for the Under-8, 10, 12 categories,” Sultan Khalfan, Tournament Director of QTF Intercontinental Doha 2012, said. Khalfan said the QTF hosts 21 tournaments throughout the season which including the WTA and ATP events.
The QTF also hosts four open tournaments besides the GCC, Asian, Junior, ITF Futures and Asian Junior Championship events, which Khalfan said helps the national players to boost their worldwide rankings.
“Recently our doubles team of Jabor Al Mutawa and Mousa Sayed won the ITF event in Kuwait, which augurs well for our for us. We want more players to move up to the top of the rankings. We need to have a pool of 10-20 players and the Open tournaments, like this one, helps the local players,” said Khalfan.
“This year, we hosted four ITF futures, next year we plan to host six ITF Futures,” added Khalfan.
Ehab Awad Idris, Assistant Tournament Director informed that around 200 national team players were among those who have registered themselves to take part in the tournament.
“Early rounds of play will be at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex and the finals will be played on the courts at the Intercontinental Doha. Around 450 players are participating in the tournament and will involve 370 matches,” Idris added yesterday.
The winners and runners-up will receive prize money and gift vouchers. The tournament is sponsored by The Planners, Galaxy Sport and The Bat Club.
Admission is free throughout the tournament.
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