JEDDAH, 10 May 2006 — The Kingdom’s top tennisters test their mettle against some of the best expatriate players from the US, Pakistan and Philippines in the Mobily Kingdom Open tennis tournament, which starts today.
Matches in the three-day tournament will be played at Idad Al-Gadah and Saudi Tennis Federation courts at Malaz in Riyadh. The event marks the end of the tennis season, according to Rashid Abu Rashid, STF secretary-general and chief of tournament and technical committee. International referee Hamad Al-Barqaan will supervise the tournament.
Saudi Arabia’s No. 1 Fahd Al-Saad, the newly-crowned Desert Classsic champion, heads the carefully picked local players who will pit skills against three bets from the Philippines and one each from Pakistan and the US.
Al-Saad, a product of the STF Training Center, has reigned as Kingdom’s best for three straight years. He wil be joined by compatriots Omar Al-Thagib from Al-Washm Club and Kingdom’s No. 2, Hussain Al-Zahir from Al-Salaam Club, Majid Al-Jaroudi from Al-Qadisiya Club, Abdulaziz Abdullah from Al-Ibtisam Club, Abdulilah and Abdulaziz Abu Rashid and Badur Al-Migbil from Al-Hilal Club, Salil Al-Rajhi from Al-Jeel Club and Mohammed Al-Muhtib from Kamit Club.
According to organizers, the final match would be aired live at the Saudi Sport Channel on Friday at 8: 30 p.m. The matches are open free to the public.
