Tennis halcyon under threat
No more can St Vincent and the Grenadines tennis officials and the country as a whole recline in their patio seats and know that the annual International Tennis Federation (ITF) Junior Tournament will be served by way of merit.{{more}}
Since its entry here in 2007, the ITF tournament had become a staple product, which put St Vincent and the Grenadines up with the regional pack.
Young tennis players from various parts of the world have since been descending on this rock to compete in the tournament, as they seek to enhance their positions by gaining valuable ranking points.
Over time though, St Vincent and the Grenadines is losing ground and its position on the ladder is descending, as several factors are impinging on our status as host.
Among them is the continuous erosion of a stable and vision driven executive and critically too, the current state of the courts at the National Tennis Centre at Villa.
Once the envy of many in the region, our prized venue, with all its amenities, is shadowed by depreciation, as its maintenance is beyond the coffers of the local tennis body.
The inadequacy of the venue was the main factor which saw in 2014, only the Under-18 segment coming our way, which was instructive of where we are.
The warning signs were evident in 2013, when the Grassroot Tennis Club on Murrayâs Road had to be upgraded to meet the minimum standards so that the Under-14 component was possible.
Reports are that St Vincent and the Grenadines is assured to host the Under-18 again, but a cloud hovers over the Under-14 this year again.
Reclaiming the Under-14 competition is critical within the framework of St Vincent and the Grenadines keeping its name in the mix, as it is understood that the ITF officials prefer that host nations have both age categories simultaneously.
It is also imperative for us to save the tournament, as it is one of the fixtures which is an international sporting surety each year.
Apart from St Vincent and the Grenadines getting some publicity, some much needed foreign currency is injected into our economy over the duration of the tournament.
Not only are players catered for, but their coaches and even parents have to accommodated, fed, entertained, transported and other commercial activities are factored in.
It is well documented that some of the hotels on the Villa road belt get a lot of patronage from the visitors when the ITF tournament comes to town every August.
No ordinary person of simple economic status can fly his child to St Vincent and the Grenadines on his private jet to be part of the tournament, as was the case last year.
Positioning ourselves to keep the tournament and more as with the international airport set to finish sometime down the road, a gateway for the hosting of Davis Cup matches cannot be downplayed.
These are just a few of the reasons why St Vincent and the Grenadines should pull out all the stops to ensure that we are calendared on the ITFâs annual agenda.
But whilst we are trying to fix our case, others are ensuring that they are not only waiting in the wings in case we slip up, by ensuring that they have the necessary requirements, inclusive of the number of courts in their stock.
Reports are that Antigua and Barbuda, St Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago are sprucing up their facilities, which undoubtedly will put them ahead of St Vincent and the Grenadines when the choice is to be made.
The annual ITF tournament and more so our readiness are not the sole undertaking of the St Vincent and the Grenadines executive, led by an energized James Bascombe.
All concerned, including the well positioned Ministry of Tourism, Sports and Culture and other entities, should bind themselves and knock heads and ensure that the tournament remains with us.
It is a perfect time for those who have abandoned the tennis ship, those who have the love for the sport, to once again to jump back on board and assist in re-creating that loyal of purpose.
The tournament is too important a billing for us to lose, as the bigger picture would suggest that we, as Vincentians, do not know how to keep things which are beneficial to us as a nation.
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