Sri Lanka Tennis Association

Sri Lanka Tennis Association (SLTA) is a national governing body of tennis in Sri Lanka, which represents Sri Lanka on associations like the International Tennis Federation and the Asian Tennis Federation. Its main aim is to popularise tennis in all parts of Sri Lanka as a professional sport and to produce top tennis players from Sri Lanka.[2]

Sri Lanka Tennis Association
SportTennis
Abbreviation(SLTA)
Founded1915
AffiliationInternational Tennis Federation
Regional affiliationSri Lanka
LocationSri Lanka Tennis Association, Sir Marcus Fernando Road, Colombo
PresidentMaxwell De Silva[1]
SecretaryVipul Liyanage[1]
Official website
www.srilankatennis.org

History

Tennis in Sri Lanka was introduced during the British Rule with the founding of the Ceylon Lawn Tennis Association in 1915. The CLTA was originally headquartered at the ‘Challet’ in Nuwara Eliya and was conducting the Nationals on clay courts located at where Hill Club now sits. CLTC held tournaments in Colombo too, especially at the Colombo Lawn Club.[3] The Governor of Ceylon, Robert Chalmers, 1st Baron Chalmers, was the first president of the association. From establishment of the association until 1946, there was a practice at the CLTA to have the Governor of Ceylon, as administrative head of the British colony, as its President.[3] The first Sri Lankan to become CLTA president was Dr. C. H. Gunasekara in 1947 until 1949.[3] It takes pride as being the oldest national tennis association in Asia.[4]

List of Sri Lankan presidents

Included:[3]

  • Dr. C. H. Gunasekara, (1947-1949)
  • T. E. de Silva, (1950-1954)
  • Lionel Fonseka (1955-1957)
  • Mr. V. A. Sugathadasa, (1958-1968)
  • M. T. Thiruchittampalam, (1969-1975)
  • Mr. K. T. E. de Silva ?
  • Mr. Janaka Bogollagama ?
  • Mr. D.L. Seneviratne, (1987-1990)
  • Mr. D.L. Seneviratne, (1991-2000)[5]
  • Mr. Suresh Subramaniam, (2001-2006) [5]
  • Mr. Maxwell de Silva, (2009-2010)[6]
  • Mr. Iqbal Bil Isaack, (2012-current)[5]

List of governor presidents

Included:[3]

Tennis in Sri Lanka

Tennis as a sport has not garnered the popular support of the common folk in Sri Lanka, whose first love in sports is still cricket but SLTA is contributing all its resources to make tennis a popular game. They strive towards developing tennis as a professional sport, encouraging all citizens to play tennis for better health in life and to produce better world ranking tennis players from Sri Lanka.

Tournaments conducted by SLTA

International

Include:[7]

  • Sri Lanka Men's Futures F1
  • Sri Lanka Men's Futures F2
  • Sri Lanka Men's Futures F3
  • Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Group III
  • ITF Junior Circuit Grade 5 Week 1 (U-18)
  • ITF Junior Circuit Grade 5 Week 2 (U-18)
  • ITF Junior Circuit Grade 5 Week 3 (U-18)
  • Sri Lanka Women's Futures F1
  • Sri Lanka Women's Futures F2
  • Sri Lanka Women's Futures F3
  • ATF Week 1 (U-14)
  • ATF Week 2 (U-14)

National

Include:[7]

  • ACM Tennis School Tournament, Tamil Union Club, Colombo
  • All-Island Inter-School Cool Championship, SLTA, Colombo
  • Bandarawela Tennis Club Tournament, Bandarawela
  • Batticaloa Tennis Centre Tournament, Batticaloa
  • Colombo Championships,[8] (1915-current)
  • CR and FC Tournament, CF & FC Club, Longdon Place
  • DTS Tournament, St. Thomas' College Club, Colombo
  • Inter-Schools Cool Divisional Qualifying Tournament
  • Jaffna Club Tournament, St. Patrick's College Tennis Club, Jaffna
  • Kalutara Tennis Centre Tournament, Kalutara
  • Kandy Garden Club Tournament, Kandy Garden Club, Kandy
  • Kurunegala Club Tournament, Kurunegala Tennis Club, Kurenagala
  • Moors Club Open Tournament, Moors Tennis Club, Colombo
  • Negombo Club Tournament, Negombo Tennis Club, Negombo, (1975-current)
  • Otters Club Tournament, Otters Tennis Club, Colombo, (1965-current)
  • Queen's Club Open Tournament, Queen's Club, Colombo, (1969-current)
  • SLTA Playing Section Tournament, SLTA, Colombo
  • SLTA Tournament, SLTA, Colombo
  • SSC Open Tournament, SSC Tennis Club, Colombo
  • Thurstan College Tournament, Thurstan, Colombo
  • Women's Club Tournament, Women's Club, Colombo
  • Tamil Union Club Open Tournament, Tamil Union, Colombo, (1972-current)

Former

Overseen by the SLTA have included:[9]

  • Carlton Club Championships, Colombo, (1960–1964).
  • Ceylon Championships, Nuwara Eliya, (1886-1976), [10] later renamed Sri Lankan National Championships is still played today.
  • Ceylon Wimbledon Championships (1887–1890), Nuwara Eliya.
  • Colombo Otters Open (1964–1974).
  • Colombo tournament, Colombo (1963–1971).
  • Floodlight Open, (1963).
  • Fort Tennis Club Open, Fort, Colombo, (1964–1967).
  • Government Services Tennis Club Championships, Colombo, (1966-?)
  • Negombo Championships, Negombo, (1963–1974).
  • Sabaragamuwa Championships, Ratnapura, (1963–1969).
  • Taldua Open, Colombo, (1965).
  • Tamil Union Championships, Colombo, (1930–1969).
  • Tamil Union Open Championships (1970-1973)
  • UVA Championships, Badulla, (1967).
  • Up-Country Nationals, Bandarawela, (1955–1971).

List of approved SLTA tennis clubs

This is a list of major tennis clubs within Sri Lanka:

  • Bandarawela tennis club
  • Carlton Tennis club
  • Cathedral Tennis club
  • Chilow sports club
  • Dehiwala /Mt.Lavinia Cosmopolitan Sports Club
  • Dickoya / Maskeliya cricket club
  • Galle services club
  • Govt. servants lawn tennis club
  • Govt. servants tennis club
  • Govt. Surveyors sports club
  • Gymkhana tennis club
  • Kalutara lawn tennis club
  • Kandana club
  • Kandy Garden Club
  • K.C.Y.M.A. Tennis club
  • Rathnapura Tennis School
  • Matale District Tennis Club

References
  1. "SLTA General Committee". Retrieved 2011-02-07.
  2. "Objectives of SLTA". Retrieved 2011-02-07.
  3. Silva, Revarta S. (16 July 2011). "Previewing Sri Lanka Tennis Nationals – Part 01: The Fascinating History of CLTA". island.lk. The Island Newspaper. Retrieved 22 October 2017.
  4. "History of Tennis in Sri Lanka". Archived from the original on November 8, 2010. Retrieved 2011-02-07.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  5. "History of SL's Tennis in Brief". www.island.lk. The Island Newspaper. 13 June 2015. Retrieved 22 October 2017.
  6. "Maxwell back in SLTA fore". www.island.lk. The Island Newspaper. 4 April 2010. Retrieved 22 October 2017.
  7. "Sunday Times - Tennis: SLTA releases event calendar for 2017". www.sundaytimes.lk. The Sunday Times Newspaper, Sri Lanka. 24 April 2017. Retrieved 22 October 2017.
  8. Walpola, Thilina (6 June 2022). "107th Colombo Championships commences". Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  9. Archives, Tennis. "Tournaments: Ceylon/Sri Lanka". www.tennisarchives.com. Tennis Archives 2017. Retrieved 22 October 2017.
  10. Silva, Revata S. (16 July 2011). "The Island". island.lk. The Island Newspaper. Retrieved 22 October 2017.
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