The Vodafone Suva Open Tennis Championship offered a significant learning opportunity for Western teams, many of whom participated in tennis for the first time.
Head coach Lemeki Ledua Veimatayaki expressed his gratitude to Tennis Fiji for allowing children from the Lautoka tennis club to participate. He brought ten players, ranging from Under-12 to Open grade, and was delighted to witness their excitement during their initial visit to Suva.
“I brought ten players for the tournament from U12, U14, U16, and Open grade. For most of these kids, this is their first time traveling to Suva,” Veimatayaki said. “I can see that they are really enjoying themselves and they are happy to be here in Suva.”
For most participants, this was their first experience in competitive tennis, with the exception of two players, Pena and Uraia, who have been active in the sport for seven years and are now competing at the Open grade level.
Despite encountering challenging weather conditions, players successfully completed two matches on the first day of the tournament, with plans to continue the next day. Veimatayaki’s primary goal was to ensure the players enjoyed their experience and gained valuable competitive exposure.
Suva coach and national representative Sumit Lal also noted the growth of the tournament, highlighting an increase in participant numbers compared to the previous year. He stressed the importance of including junior grades in the competition, recognizing these young players as potential future stars of tennis.
The tournament is taking place at Victoria Tennis Court in Suva and is set to conclude tomorrow.