Qatar to host the world schools championship

Tournament director Saad al-Mohannadi (left), QTF assistant secretary general and deputy director of the tournament Tariq Darwish Zainal (centre) and International School Sports Federation president Petrynka Laurent.

By Sports Reporter/DohaQatar is set to host the ISF World Schools Tennis Championship March 8- 15.This is the first time this event will be held in the Middle East. The event is being organised by the Qatar Tennis Federation (QTF) in co-operation with the Qatar School Sports Association (QSA), under the umbrella of the International School Sports Federation (ISF). The eighth edition of the ISF World Schools Tennis Championship will feature participation of boys and girls from 16 countries, including Belgium, Australia, China, Britain, Brazil, France, Germany and Qatar.As host nation, the State of Qatar will participate in the championship with its junior national team with the aim of achieving positive results that live up to the expectations of the Qatari tennis family.The Qatari squad includes Omar Abdullah al-Jefairi, Essa Shanan, Abdullah al-Jefairi and Abdullah Shanan.Recently, several meetings of the higher organising committee and the other working committees have been conducted to ensure that the preparations for the event are going well and are in full swing. The matches will be staged at the Khalifa Tennis and Squash Complex, with more than 19 courts ready to host tennis players from around the world. ISF president Petrynka Laurent, in his message for the tournament, recognised Qatar for its preparations for the event, especially the Khalifa Tennis and Squash Complex with its magnificent courts. “The sports facilities prepared for the World Schools Tennis Championship are amazing,” said Petrynka Laurent.  “The available facilities will motivate the players, as professional tennis stars have competed on these courts,” he added. Through hosting the ISF World Schools Tennis Championship, the QTF aims to achieve a number of educational and cultural goals. The organising committee was keen to develop a rich programme that includes sports competitions alongside cultural activities that reflect Qatari heritage and traditions. The tournament programme includes the opening ceremony which will be held on March 9 at 9am. The organising committee officials and the participating delegations will be attending and the ceremony will include a number of artistic shows.In addition to the tournament, the organising committee has prepared a cultural trip to the QOC winter camp in Sealine. The trip will give participating delegations an opportunity to enjoy the beach and sand dunes and will bring them closer to the culture of Qatar.Tournament director Saad al-Mohannadi said, “The QTF aims to promote the State of Qatar as a capital of international sports and wants to promote School Sports within Qatar by providing a space for world-class tournaments.”Al-Mohannadi welcomed the participating countries and stressed that the organising committee is keen to host an exceptional event.“Our goals go beyond the success at the organisational and sporting level to include other cultural dimensions to be highlighted by the rich programmes that reflect the heritage and the history of the State of Qatar,” al-Mohannadi added.Al-Mohannadi hoped that this type of investment in sports shall contribute to bringing the world’s countries together to promote the concept of tolerance.The tournament will also see a special cultural and social event called the ‘Evening of National’. Players and delegations will participate in an evening ‘International Get-together’ which will be held on March 12 from 5pm to 8pm at the Khalifa International Tennis & Squash Complex.Players are invited to introduce and promote their countries and their culture in an original way. The QTF assistant secretary general and deputy director of the tournament Tariq Darwish Zainal stressed that hosting the world championship will highlight the importance of sports and will give an opportunity to the participating players, including the representatives of the State of Qatar, to have an international experience, competing with world tennis champions.