Dubai The UAE’s junior tennis development programme has received a huge boost with Singapore-based Shine Tennis signing a two-year agreement with governing body Tennis Emirates (TE).
The deal was signed between Nasser Al Marzouqi, General Secretary, TE and Heriawan, owner of Shine Tennis International, who travelled from Indonesia earlier this week. “I am confident that this partnership between Tennis Emirates and Shine Tennis will definitely assist in the development of the sport at the grassroots level,” Heriawan told Gulf News.
“It is important for us to be there for tennis, especially for the youngsters so that the authorities can identify possible stars for the future,” he added.
As per the agreement, TE will use Shine balls and equipment at all their tournaments especially the age group competitions at school level. “We are aware that junior development of tennis is by far the most important ingredient for the sport in any country. Since the beginning, we have made it a priority to operate on this one principle,” Heriawan said.
“Now that we have made an entry in the UAE, we want to assure the tennis playing community that we are always around to assist in the development of our sport. We will be more than pleased to assist in ensuring the tennis numbers grow in the UAE,” he assured.
The agreement is also in line with the directives laid down by Shaikh Hasher Al Maktoum, President, TE during the last meeting of the Board of Directors that urged members to scan for marketing deals in an attempt to push the growth of tennis in the country. “This agreement is a great opportunity for tennis in the UAE,” Al Marzouqi related.
“The partnership from Shine Tennis will not only provide us with an official ball supplier but also give us the opportunity to usher in development of the sport at the schools level where we have already witnessed significant rise in numbers,” he added.
Headquartered in Singapore, all of the company’s tennis range is produced at their plant in Bangkok, Thailand. Shine Tennis also has affiliates in Russia, France, Oman, Bahrain, Pakistan, Hong Kong, Romania, Brazil and Argentina with plans to spread out more in the near future.
