Re-scheduled for a week due to technical problems, the 5th ALBAIK Tennis Challenge 2013 was launched in fitting opening ceremony during the weekend at the tennis courts of Al-Bilad Hotel in Jeddah Corniche.

Participants as well as spectators were treated to the fanfare and colorful parade of participating teams a traditional touch of tournament organizer Association of Tennis Clubs (Astec) Jeddah. It was a well-attended affair with no less than Consul General Uriel Norman Garibay of the Philippine Consulate in Jeddah as chief guest. Bassam Al-Seyofi, PR Manager of ALBAIK Food Systems Inc., represented the main sponsor of the event and thanked all the attendees and participants as well as Astec for the continued partnership in providing quality events to the Jeddah tennis community.

Highlighting the event after the parade of teams was the choice of special awardees for the Best in Uniform teams. Winners all in Category C is team ALJ-Toyota Prado, Category B2 award went to DJ Auto Parts, in Category LMX DPWorld team run-off with the award, in the MMX Category Zuhair Fayes Partnership team won hands down and in the B1 Category Jeddah Ranao Tennis Club (JRTC) was chosen. Providing added excitement was the exhibition match between Jeddah’s top tennis players which the pair of Ahmed Mehelmy and Mohammed Salahuddin won against the fighting duo of Rico Gonzales and Dilson Autentico at 10-8.

The tournament proper to run for two months attracted 59 teams of nine players each. Early match results of the daily elimination round: Category C — ALJ-Toyota Prado 3(25) def. SPTC 1(24), SBD-RPG TC-1 3(31) def. MSB Dark Horse 0(14), Zuhair Fayez Partnership 3(29) def. Arabian Homes 1(20), SBG-RPG TC-2 3(27) def. RPM Renegades 1(20) and JRTC-Yusoph 2(27) def. RSTP 2(21); Category B2 — SSS Black Tigers 2(28) def. DJ Auto Parts 2(26), Sports Track J&B 2(25) def. SPTC 2(18) and RSTP-1 2(26) def. NCB Manny 2(22); Category LMX — DPWorld 3(31) def. Uricane 1(22). For Category MMX, DPWorld 2(30) def. Al-Shuman 2(21) and Zuhair Fayez Partnership 3(32) def. RPM Renegades 0 (19).

Organized by the Association of Tennis Clubs in Jeddah (Astec) under the helm of its chairman Francis Idjao Jr. and Tournament Director Tonton Pana, this 26th Astec team tennis tournament at the Al-Bilad Hotel and Sheraton Hotel tennis courts is presented in partnership with ALBAIK Food Systems Co. Ltd. represented by Bassam Al-Seyofi (PR manager), Mahmoud Al-Jaber (marketing coordinator) and Ed Cabiedes (branch manager) and is supported by Deltaz Marketing (Racquet Shop) courtesy of Tony Kassis, Maher Tebakhi and Amin Malik. Also providing support is Sky Freight Forwarders, TFC The Filipino Channel and Pepsi Bugshan.