MUSCAT: The Oman national tennis team is participating in the qualifying rounds of the Under-14 International Championship (Asia/Oceania), which will be hosted by Bahrain from February 15 to 23. This participation is part of the efforts of the Oman Tennis Association to enhance the level of the sport and provide young female players with the opportunity to gain experience and compete on the international stage.
The Omani delegation is led by Sara al Balushi, while coach Sergey Pershin is responsible for the technical supervision of the team, which includes players Areen al Azkawi, Talia al Busaidy and Salma al Riyami. This line-up reflects the association’s ambition to represent Oman in the best possible way at international events, with the players aiming to deliver strong performances and compete for advancement to the later stages of the tournament.
Regarding the significance of this participation, coach Sergey Pershin emphasised that the tournament represents a key milestone in the players’ development. He stated: "These qualifiers provide a great opportunity for the players to develop their skills by competing against strong teams from various countries. After their outstanding performance in the ITF tournament held in Muscat last January, we are excited to continue this progress and deliver an even better performance in this championship."
He added: "The competition will be more intense and challenging, but we believe this will motivate the players to improve all aspects of their game. The experience they gain from this tournament will be invaluable in raising their technical level, and we will work on enhancing their tactical and technical skills in preparation for future competitions."
For her part, Sara al Balushi confirmed that the team is ready for the challenge and that participating in this tournament represents an important step in developing young players.
"We are excited to take part in these qualifiers, and the players are highly motivated to compete and give their best effort. The Oman Tennis Association is working to provide a suitable environment for player development, and this tournament is a fantastic opportunity for them to gain experience and engage with strong teams from different Asian and Oceanian countries," Sara said.
She added: "Our goal is to strengthen Oman's presence in international tennis and achieve honourable results that reflect the association’s efforts in supporting young talents. Regardless of the outcomes, the most important thing is for the players to gain strong competitive experience that will help them improve in the future."
Oman will compete in Group 4 alongside Macau and the Maldives, while the other participating teams have been distributed across different groups. Group 1 includes Sri Lanka, Bahrain and Singapore, while Group 2 consists of Mongolia, Lebanon, and Jordan. Group 3 features Turkmenistan, Bangladesh and Oceania. Group 5 includes Kyrgyzstan, Syria and the Philippines, while Group 6 comprises Indonesia, Guam and Iraq.
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