By Yonalla Darymple
The discipline of lawn tennis is currently at a standstill with respect to the staging of local competitions following repair works to the tennis courts at the Le Meridien Pegasus Hotel.
This was disclosed by president of the Guyana Tennis Association (GTA) Ramesh Seebarran in an exclusive interview with Stabroek Sport yesterday.
According to Seebarran, the owner of the hotel, Robert Badal, had told him that he was undertaking major expansion work on the hotel’s facilities including the courts.
“Mr. Badal did outline to me that he was going to do work but he did not give a definitive time,” Seebarran said adding….”I don’t think that they are going to build back the courts but rather expand it.”
The courts at the Pegasus Hotel have been largely used by the GTA for its local tournaments and are considered the home for the sport in Guyana since the GTA is without a proper facility.
Seebarran pointed out that there are two other tennis courts located at the Non Pariel facility on Woolford Avenue which are available to the association but needs urgent resurfacing before the commencement of any tournament.
He said that the association, under his stewardship, has made great strides is finding a home of its own.
“We had in fact approached the minister and they have asked us to look for land that may be available. We have made attempts to look for land but we haven’t identified any as yet,” said Seebarran.
“Getting funding for land and money from the Ministry of Sport, has been a sore point for the association for a number of years now,” Seebarran added.
Former president, Christopher Ram, had requested from government 1 per cent of the 2010 National Sports Budget of $550 million but that request was not granted.
According to Seebarran, the courts in the National Park were about 90 per cent completed until they began to sink. He also stated that additional cracks have begun to open and get larger while the courts at the Racquet Center on Wolford Avenue are in desperate need of resurfacing since the top layer of the courts have begun to peel off.
Seebaran noted that the surface will be resurfaced and lighting installed while bleachers and possibly an additional court, could be added to the three that are currently in place at the National Park.
There is a newly constructed court at the President’s College which was built by the late Naeem Nazir of Bakewell but according to reports it is only to be used for school purposes.
Sebarran said that since they did not have any other alternative venues, no tennis tournaments will be played.
The GTA recently held its Pegasus Open tournament which was followed last Saturday by a development 10s programme at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
