Mini tennis campaign starts Saturday

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Tennis Association (Pelti) will launch a Gebyar Mini Tennis 2000 campaign on Saturday to introduce the sport to elementary school pupils in an easy, cheap and fast way.

Mini tennis is played with smaller balls and racquets and on a smaller court than regular tennis.

"We expect some 3,000 students will take part in the event. It will start with a parade around the tennis stadium in Senayan sport complex," organizing committee chairman Johannes Susanto told a media conference on Wednesday.

"The children will also take part in a tennis drawing competition. Famous child singers will entertain them."

The singers are Christina, Geovanny, Joshua, Kiki and Saskia. Indra, host of Tralala Trilili children's TV show, will compere the event.

Pelti's official in charge of development, promotion and foreign relations Martina Widjaja said mini tennis was important for the development of tennis in Indonesia.

"It takes 10 years to 20 years to develop good tennis players and that's the reason for organizing this event with elementary schools students as its target," she said.

"They will learn basics skills such as racket grip and ball feeling in mini tennis. It's a stepping stone to real tennis."

Martina said the International Tennis Federation launched mini tennis in 1996.

On Saturday, Pelti will also throw a farewell party for Indonesia's Olympic Games tennis squad, comprising players Wynne Prakusya and Yayuk Basuki and coach Suzanna Wibowo. (nvn)