JEDDAH, 18 June 2003 — The stage is set for the Prince Talal ibn Mansour Tennis Cup, to be held at the Al Bilad Hotel Tennis Courts, from July 6-18. Mohammad Salem Bakheet, Deputy and CEO of Prince Talal ibn Mansour ibn Abdul Aziz, has given the nod for the event to be staged in association with Jeddah Tennis Organization (JeTO). The main draw will be held on July 4 at Al Bilad Hotel. A qualifying round is scheduled from July 6 and 7 to determine the remaining 4 slots, with the complete main draw due to start on July 8.
According to Bakheet, the event is part of the Jeddah Summer Festival (JSF) and held in cooperation with Prince Misha’al, governor of Jeddah. The Prince Talal ibn Mansour Cup is just one of the many attractions in the calendar of activities for the Jeddah Summer Festival, Bakheet added.
This tennis cup tourney is one of the biggest local sporting events to be staged in Jeddah. This will be a yearly event to provide added spectacle and attraction during the summer in Jeddah.
Prince Talal also revealed plans of staging yet another tennis tourney in the coming years with the participation of top professional and amateur tennis players from the entire Gulf region and neighboring countries.
Meanwhile, guaranteed prize money awaits not just the champion, but for the losers in the first round to the finalist.
In order to enhance the quality of the tournament, the organizers have invited leading tennis players not only from Jeddah but also from other parts of Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Tennis Federation (STF) has been given 16 slots for Saudi nationals.
Spearheading the Jeddah entries will be Ahmed El Mehelmy. Others expected to participate include Zulfiqar Ahmed, Fahmi Saleh and the ageless Manny Valleramos. Competitors from the central region include Badr Al Mogail and Othman Al Enezi. Other notable entries include Baqr Abu Khalif, Omar Saqeb, Abdulrahman Omar and brothers Hatem and Bassem Jawi, who all play for Al-Ittihad here in Jeddah.
Entry forms will be available at the Al Bilad Rereation Center as well as in all leading tennis sport shops in Jeddah. For further inquiries contact Robert Saavedra at 052305360; Jovie Llevares (tournament director) at 059748823; and Faisal Othrnan 6613323 extension 105.
All entries should be submitted directly at the Office of Prince Talal ibn Mansour or by fax at 6613583, on or before July 1, 2003.
