KUALA LUMPUR: The KL Tennis Association (Tennis KL) have prepared a special coaching team for the Federal Territory squad (WiPers) to produce the best players in preparation for the Malaysia Games (Sukma) next year.
WiPers team manager Najib Ibrahim said that the move was taken to end their 28-year gold medal drought at the biennial games that will take place in Sarawak.
“Previously, the coaches for Sukma were only from among the members of the association, we are not saying they are not good, but no medals were won after so long. Sukma 1994 was the last time WiPers got a gold medal and in 1998 we got a silver… then nothing.
“So we appointed for the first time, a former national coach. With the experience he has, maybe they (coaching team) can produce players who can chase medals,” he told Bernama during the launch of KL Tennis here today.
He said, among the coaches who will guide the WiPers squad are Abd Hazli Zainuddin, a former national coach, and former Kuala Lumpur player Azizul Azhar.
Meantime, Abd Hazli said managing the WiPers team will be a difficult task for him, but he will ensure that the squad end their medal drought next year.
“It’s also a good way to challenge myself to make sure they prove that they are medal prospects. I see there is a lot of talent and potential but we must bring the best programme to support and train them not only for Sukma but also to become national back up players,” he said.
Meanwhile, KL Tennis Association Vice President Terence Chia said Tennis KL, which was formerly known as Kuala Lumpur Lawn Tennis Association (KLLTA), has been given a new branding to facilitate communication management especially to the general public who have not known about it since the existence of the association in 1999.
“This branding also takes into account current developments, especially announcements and information delivered through social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and Twitter, so that it can be easily reached by all levels of society,” he added. – Bernama
