Tennis association head pushes for stakeholder unity

Barbados Tennis Association President Craig Smith has called for greater collaboration among the sport’s stakeholders as he stressed the need for a more united approach to drive continued development of the sport. Smith made the call on Sunday at the Raymond Forde Tennis Centre in Wildey during the official launch of the third annual South West Open, which is currently being played at the venue. “I believe the time has come for us to work even more closely together in the pursuit of common goals. When we collaborate, everyone benefits—our players, our tournaments, and ultimately the sport of tennis in Barbados,” Smith said. “One of the aspirations I have is for us to work alongside the Southwest Open team to elevate this tournament even further. My hope is that next we can transform this event from a UTR tournament into an ITF M15 Futures Tournament, bringing greater international exposure to Barbados while creating more opportunities for our local players to compete at a higher level on home soil,” he added. According to him it was already clear what neighbouring countries like Jamaica have achieved by progressing to challenger-level events, and he firmly believes Barbados has the potential to follow that same path. Smith also congratulated Tournament Director Justin Atkins and his family, for staging the event once again. “As someone who has been involved in organising tennis events , I know firsthand the amount of planning, commitment, and hard work that goes into staging a tournament of this quality. “It is no small undertaking, and Justin and his team deserve our sincere appreciation for their continued dedication to the sport and for providing another outstanding event on our national tennis calendar that our players can look forward to each year.’ Atkins meanwhile, thanked the event’s partners and contributors who have thrown their weight behind the tournament. “Over the coming days, you are going to witness incredible athletic talent, fierce rivalry, and a shared passion for the game that brings us all together. To the players: leave it all on the court.” (KH)