Getting the exposure in international tounaments as early as possible will make players understand their level of play in other countries. Besides going to Thailand for many times, we make decision to participate in the KOREA Elementary Tennis Federation Junior Tournament in Yanggu.
The Korean have been coming to Malaysia for many years during the tournaments in Penang, Kedah and Perlis. That tournaments usually have been dominated by them throughout the years. When they bring 4 players in one category, all four of them went to the semis. Its been happening for years and that never change.
The domination of Korean players in the tournaments prove something significant in their level of junior players. They are stronger and better players on courts, technically and tactically.
Coming to two tournaments in Yanggu, Korea will definitely becomes eye opening for players to uplift their motivation in training and competing. Yanggu is the Northern district of South Korea. Around 3 hours drive from Incheon airport. We were given the MPV transportation since we have 6 people coming from Perlis.
Korean, from the eyes of a coach have many great junior players. Coming in on the first day, we saw many players practicing and warming up on courts. Could not find players who have bad technical abilities. They are sound in their basic fundamental of tennis. This must be because of the understanding of their coaches about technical teaching in Korea.
Raihah, Reefa and Fayyadh from NTTAcademy entered the 10 under girls and 12 under boys. There are two tournaments of 10 days in duration. The size of the 10 under boys singles draw qualifying was 32, and main draw 64. The 12 under boys qualifying was 128 draw and 64 for main draw. In girls side, 32 draw qualifying and 64 for main draw.
That was the first time the players play such a big draws. Total players for boys and girl 10 and 12 under was more than 400 players with qualifying boys 12 was 128 draw size.
The format for the qualifying single events was one set to 6 games with 6-6 tiebreak while in the main draw the format was 2 short sets with final set supertiebreak.
For foreigners, they gave the privilledge to enter straight to the main draw. All three players were in the main draw in their categories and met Korean and Japanese players. With the accomodation given to Korean every year when they came to Malaysia, we were also given the same hospitality. Hotel rooms and also 2 meals a day given to players and coaches.
The level of play
One way to check the junior standards of play can be seen when they are serving. By looking at their grip, we know how the coach understand tennis. All players were serving with continental from the observation done. They were no “tray” serve even at 10 years old for boys or girls. That is not seen in Malaysia or Thailand where many players still serving with the forehand grip just to put the balls in. There were no underhand serve also here in this two tournaments.
Most of them able to slice on both wings, forehand and backhand. With higher racket speed in their ground strokes, they are able to get the intensity in the match. Their defense too were great in retrieving difficult balls and balls placement were great.
There are so many things we can learn in Korea when we are in the tournaments.
Organizing
The tournaments were played on 12 outdoor courts and 4 indoor courts. To make it faster, they even added in another 8 outdoor courts in a nearby facility in a school. As for that, they are using 20 outdoor courts and 4 indoor courts. Thats amazing.
The order of play was used online. There we not needed for any announcement made to call players to the courts when the time for them to play is due.
They were using google services to make it online where parents and coaches can check their respective courts were done or still having matches.
When making this initiatiive using google sheets, it sped up the time for exchange of matches in the tournament. Players were waiting outside the courts for their turn to play.
Other Countries Participating
Apart from Malaysia, there were other countries entering this tournaments. They were the Japanese, The Chinese from Guangzhou and Beijing, Monggolia and Russia. The Japanese came with 40 players. That was huge. And they have almost the same standard as the Korean. A Chinese girl won the 12 under girls single and they made her the 1st seeded in the second tournament.
Raihah and Reefa just turn 10 this year, and we have 2 more years to repeat this trip. Hoping to have better performance in the next edition of KETF Junior Tournaments.
We now know the level, time to go back and train more.