ABA​ Bank​ becomes​ title​ sponsor​ of​ ITF​ Junior​ Series​ 2019​ tournament

15/Feb/2019

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ABA​ Bank,​ member​ of​ the​ National​ Bank​ of​ Canada​ Group,​ is​ becoming​ the​ title​ sponsor​ of​ the​ ITF​ Junior​ Series​ 2019​ tournament​ in​ Cambodia.​ This​ competition​ will​ now​ be​ named​ “ABA​ Bank​ ITF​ Junior​ Series​ 2019”​ and​ will​ be​ held​ in​ February-March​ and​ November-December​ in​ Phnom​ Penh.

The​ Tournament​ aims​ at​ providing​ more​ competitions​ for​ junior​ players​ at​ 13​ –​ 18​ years​ of​ age​ on​ their​ path​ to​ a​ professional​ career.​ The​ year-round​ tournament​ will​ be​ held​ at​ the​ National​ Tennis​ Center​ and​ divided​ into​ four​ rivalries:​ the​ first​ two​ will​ happen​ through​ February​ 16​ to​ March​ 2,​ 2019,​ while​ the​ last​ two​ will​ take​ place​ within​ November​ and​ December​ 2019.

Commenting​ on​ the​ occasion,​ Askhat​ Azhikhanov,​ CEO​ of​ ABA​ Bank​ said,​ “We​ are​ delighted​ to​ partner​ with​ Tennis​ Cambodia​ and​ become​ the​ title​ sponsor​ of​ the​ ITF​ Junior​ Series​ 2019​ tournament.​ Since​ ABA​ first​ sponsored​ Cambodian​ tennis​ movement​ back​ in​ 2016,​ it​ has​ steadily​ increased​ its​ commitment​ to​ the​ development​ of​ this​ elegant​ game​ that​ nurtures​ the​ fortitude,​ the​ desire​ to​ win,​ and​ respect​ for​ the​ opponent.​ We​ hope​ that​ more​ and​ more​ boys​ and​ girls​ will​ pursue​ their​ passion​ for​ tennis​ on​ fields​ of​ ITF​ Juniors​ Series,​ increasing​ Cambodian​ presence​ in​ the​ international​ sports.”​

"Tennis​ Cambodia​ highly​ appreciates​ partnership​ with​ ABA​ Bank,​ which​ has​ increased​ their​ support​ and​ involvement​ with​ our​ federation​ and​ our​ initiatives​ in​ the​ past​ four​ years.​ We​ have​ so​ far​ held​ several​ tournaments​ such​ as​ ITF​ Futures,​ ITF​ Juniors,​ ITF​ Team​ Competitions,​ Asian​ Tennis​ Federation​ Administrative​ Workshops,​ and​ others​ with​ the​ support​ from​ ABA,”​ said​ Oknha​ Sear​ Rithy,​ newly​ elected​ President​ of​ Tennis​ Cambodia.

“Following​ the​ transition​ from​ ITF​ Futures​ to​ our​ ITF​ Juniors​ in​ 2016,​ we​ have​ not​ only​ continued​ to​ show​ the​ world​ that​ we​ can​ organize​ internationally​ sanctioned​ competition,​ but​ we​ have​ shown​ ourselves​ and​ more​ importantly​ to​ our​ juniors​ that​ a​ player​ development​ pathway​ exists.​ To​ have​ ABA​ come​ in​ as​ the​ main​ sponsor​ for​ all​ four​ of​ our​ ITF​ Junior​ Series​ events​ is​ evidence​ that​ they​ truly​ understand​ not​ only​ sports,​ but​ the​ necessity​ to​ create​ a​ real​ sports​ culture​ in​ the​ youth​ of​ Cambodia,​ and​ especially​ with​ tennis,”​ he​ added.

Over​ 100​ players​ from​ 20​ different​ countries​ –​ Cambodia,​ Malaysia,​ China,​ Japan,​ Thailand,​ Indonesia,​ Korea,​ United​ States,​ Singapore,​ Denmark,​ Australia,​ Hong​ Kong,​ and​ others​ –​ will​ compete​ for​ the​ precious​ ITF​ Junior​ Ranking​ Points​ during​ the​ tournaments.​