Russells to stage ITF pro series

Adrian Frater, News Editor

WESTERN BUREAU:

The inaugural Jamaica Women's ITF Tournament Pro series, which will bring top-flight women's tennis to western Jamaica over four consecutive weeks, was officially launched in Montego Bay yesterday by the Russell Tennis Academy which conceptualised the tournament.

Speaking at yesterday's launch, former top-flight Jamaican tennis player, Richard Russell, head of the Russell Tennis Academy, said the tournament, which will begin this coming Saturday at the Hilton Rose Hall Resorts, is possibly the highest ranking tournament ever to be staged in Montego Bay.

"Approximately 100 players, their coaches and their families will be here each week over the four weeks, which means we will have over 400 persons coming here for the tournament," said Russell, who sees the event as a major boost to sports tourism.

"Over US$400,000 will be generated for the local economy so, as you can see, tennis has the capacity to do for Jamaica what other major sporting events have done for Jamaica," added Russell. "We have no major sponsors but we have a lot of goodwill ... our hope is that come next year we will be able to attract a major sponsor."

The tournament, which will offer Women's Tennis Association (WTA) rankings points for the 2012 international season, has been generating a great deal of interest globally, so much so that that when the tournament's main draw was completed, there were still some 99 players trying to get in.

Former national player Rayne Russell who, like his father, is an integral part of the Russell Tennis Academy, said he was quite thrilled to see a full qualifying and full main draw for women's professional tennis being staged here in Jamaica.

"It is great to have a tournament of this magnitude being staged in Jamaica," said Rayne Russell. "This is a first for Jamaica and it is my hope that it will do wonders for the development of women's tennis in Jamaica."

Simon Casserley of Tennis Jamaica said that, in addition to the scope for development for local players, it would also present local officials with white batches, which is a prerequisite to officiate in major tournaments, to meet the requirements to maintain their status as top umpires.

"This will allow our Jamaican white badge officials to officiate right here at home and meet the requirements to keep their white badges," said Casserley.

When the tournament serves off this Saturday, the schedule will be as follows: Saturday and Sunday - Singles qualifying; Monday to Saturday - Singles main draw; and Tuesday to Friday - Doubles main draw.