KUCHING: The ITF World Junior Team Competition Asia/Oceania Final Qualifying 2026 is not just a sports competition, but also serves as an important platform in strengthening networks and relationships between young players from across the Asia and Oceania region.

Sarawak Deputy Minister for Transport Datuk Henry Harry Jinep said that the tournament, which brings together teams from various countries, reflects the strength of the spirit of unity and regional cooperation through sports.

According to him, although the main focus is on competitive action on the court, social interactions off the court such as dinners and networking sessions also provide significant added value to the development of young athletes.

“Through this meeting, the players not only compete, but also have the opportunity to get to know each other, exchange experiences and understand the diversity of cultures and approaches in tennis,” he said.

He said this when speaking at the ITF World Junior Team Asia/Oceania Championship Welcoming & Fellowship Dinner at a hotel here on Sunday.

He stressed that the relationships established throughout the tournament have the potential to be the basis for long-term cooperation between countries, thus strengthening the sports development ecosystem in the Asia and Oceania region.

Datuk Henry added that the participation of countries such as Australia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Kazakhstan, New Zealand as well as Southeast Asian countries including Malaysia reflects a high commitment in developing tennis at the grassroots level.

In the meantime, Sarawak continues to strengthen its reputation as a destination for organising international sports events when it successfully organised several world-class tournaments in a short period of time.

“This includes organising the Sarawak Premier Cup J300 and WCTF tournaments before, making this ITF tournament one of the important achievements in strengthening the state’s sports industry,” he explained.

He also expressed his appreciation to the Sarawak Lawn Tennis Association and all parties involved for their commitment and efforts to ensure the smooth organisation of the tournament.

He added that the continuous efforts to organise such tournaments not only improve local sports standards, but also open up space for building stronger international relationships through the sports platform. -UKASnews

Prepared By: Ezzah Syafiqah
Photo: Ezzah Syafiqah
Translator: Nerissa Sia