ABA Bank ITF Junior Series returns in 2020

04/Mar/2020

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After​ last​ year's​ successful​ International​ Tennis​ Federation​ (ITF)​ Junior​ Series​ 2019​ tournament,​ ABA​ Bank​ is​ thrilled​ to​ announce​ that​ it​ continues​ to​ be​ the​ Title​ Sponsor​ of​ the​ Series​ for​ 2020.​ Aptly​ titled​ "ABA​ Bank​ ITF​ Junior​ Series​ 2020",​ this​ year's​ tournament​ sees​ the​ continuation​ of​ the​ Bank's​ commitment​ to​ the​ development​ of​ tennis​ as​ a​ sport​ that​ fosters​ a​ healthy​ competitive​ spirit,​ instilling​ young​ players​ with​ humility,​ respect,​ and​ confidence.

The​ tournament​ aims​ at​ junior​ tennis​ players​ at​ the​ age​ of​ 13​ –​ 18​ years​ on​ their​ path​ to​ becoming​ professional​ players.​ The​ year-round​ tournament​ is​ going​ be​ held​ at​ Cambodian​ Country​ Club​ (CCC)​ and​ divided​ into​ four​ competitive​ weeks.​ The​ first​ two​ weeks​ were​ completed​ on​ 29​ February​ 2020,​ while​ the​ last​ two​ will​ take​ place​ in​ November-December​ 2020.

The​ winners​ of​ the​ first​ two​ weeks​ are​ as​ follows:​ in​ the​ girl's​ singles​ category,​ Fangran​ Tian​ of​ China​ is​ the​ champion​ for​ Week​ one,​ and​ Rion​ Obata​ of​ Japan​ is​ the​ champion​ for​ Week​ two.​ For​ the​ boy's​ singles,​ James​ Van​ Herseele​ of​ Belgium​ emerged​ as​ the​ champion​ for​ Week​ one,​ whereas​ Eita​ Ishikawa​ of​ Japan​ won​ the​ category​ for​ Week​ two.

In​ the​ girl's​ doubles,​ Week​ one's​ championship​ went​ to​ Yatawee​ ChimCham​ and​ Pawinee​ Ruamnak​ of​ Thailand,​ while​ Week​ two's​ title​ belonged​ to​ Yuina​ Igarashi​ of​ Japan​ and​ Dainhee​ Kim​ of​ South​ Korea.​ In​ the​ boy's​ doubles​ category,​ Asahi​ Harazaki​ and​ Satoru​ Nakajima​ of​ Japan​ emerged​ as​ the​ champion​ for​ both​ weeks!

"We​ are​ elated​ that​ ABA​ Bank​ ITF​ Junior​ Series​ 2020​ tournament​ got​ to​ a​ successful​ start,​ and​ each​ year​ it​ gathers​ more​ and​ more​ participants.​ It​ is​ the​ fifth​ year​ ABA​ supports​ the​ Cambodian​ tennis​ federation​ and​ the​ second​ year​ as​ Title​ Sponsor​ of​ ITF​ Series.​ We​ hope​ this​ tournament​ will​ nurture​ further​ sportsmanship​ in​ Cambodia​ and​ allow​ our​ youths​ to​ compete​ with​ the​ best​ peers​ in​ the​ region,"​ commented​ Igor​ Zimarev,​ ABA's​ Chief​ Marketing​ Officer.

TEP​ Rithivit,​ Secretary-General​ of​ Tennis​ Cambodia​ said:​ "We​ are​ thrilled​ to​ host​ another​ year​ of​ ITF​ Juniors,​ players​ from​ all​ over​ the​ world​ showed​ up​ for​ our​ 4th​ edition.​ Our​ juniors​ have​ responded​ well,​ and​ some​ have​ clearly​ shown​ that​ their​ level​ is​ good​ enough​ to​ be​ contenders.​ We​ are​ pleased​ to​ see​ our​ first​ local​ junior,​ Apsara​ Chhieu,​ to​ become​ the​ first​ Cambodian​ female​ junior​ to​ earn​ ITF​ points.​ A​ tremendous​ achievement​ of​ which​ we​ are​ very​ proud."

During​ the​ two​ weeks,​ there​ were​ 200​ participants​ from​ 21​ different​ countries​ –​ Thailand,​ Vietnam,​ South​ Korea,​ Japan,​ Belgium,​ France,​ China,​ Singapore,​ Malaysia,​ Australia,​ Russia,​ Hong​ Kong,​ and​ others.

In​ line​ with​ its​ Corporate​ Values,​ ABA​ Bank​ has​ provided​ support​ to​ sports​ activities​ as​ a​ whole​ and​ Tennis​ Cambodia​ in​ particular​ on​ several​ tournaments​ such​ as​ ITF​ Futures,​ ITF​ Juniors,​ ITF​ Team​ Competitions,​ Asian​ Tennis​ Federation​ Administrative​ Workshops​ since​ 2016.​ Since​ then,​ the​ organization​ has​ steadily​ increased​ its​ commitment​ to​ the​ development​ of​ this​ elegant​ game.