Shaikh Zayed Cup to start on April 23

Fujairah: The annual Shaikh Zayed Cup 2010 will be held at Le Meridien Al Aqah and Fujairah Tennis and Country Club on April 23 and April 24.

Launched in 2002, the prestigious tournament is exclusive to Fujairah and the adult open finals will be held at the award-winning Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort on April 24.

Organisers are expecting more than 50 players from all over the UAE to participate in this tournament. Leading the players' entry is Sebastian Swierk, previously ranked as the number one junior in Australia, along with Fujairah players Abdullah Khalid and Saud Khalid Al Ali.

The run-up to the main competition also includes a veteran's tournament and a junior under-18 contest.

Exciting initiative

"The Shaikh Zayed Cup is one of our most exciting initiatives to date and we are proud to be hosting world-class players right here. It is important to promote a sporting culture within the UAE, and by offering the opportunity to witness world-class tennis in Fujairah, we hope to encourage local sporting talent to come forward," said Patrick Antaki, general manager, Le Meridien Al Aqah.

Tournament director, Khalid Ali Al Ali said: "It has been our objective to celebrate the spirit of sportsmanship and offer a unique opportunity for the whole community to enjoy a major sporting event. The Shaikh Zayed Cup will have some of the world's finest tennis players competing right here in Fujairah, and we are privileged to be a part of it. "

One of the most popular sporting events on the East Coast of the UAE, the tournament offers a cash prize of Dh12,500.

This year's Shaikh Zayed Cup has been sponsored by Nissan, Fujairah Cement, Fujairah Bulk, Vopak, Fujairah National Insurance, Sherriff International Management and Centre Court Boutique Hotel.