Minister of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment Abdullah Rafi’u has stated that the changes being made to the ongoing Arutha Program to improve the standard of Maldivian athletes will also bring advancements to tennis. After gracing the closing ceremony of the first week of the ATF Maldives Junior Open Tennis Tournament currently underway in the Maldives, the Minister told PSM News in an interview that the excellent performance and achievements of Maldivian athletes in such international tournaments will serve as an additional impetus to sponsor tennis players through the government’s Arutha Program.
The Minister said that it is a significant advancement for Maldivian players to win championships and reach the semi-finals by competing against players from foreign countries in such an international tournament. “This will be an additional motivation to sponsor children for this program. It shows why we should support these children. For example, in tournaments like this Junior tournament, Maldivian children are very good. In a tournament where about twenty countries participated, our children have won first place in the female category. In the male category as well, we have reached the semi-finals. So, we are progressing very competitively, God willing,” the Minister said.
Therefore, the Sports Minister said that there are many things that need to be done at this level to take these children to the next level, and that they are already facilitating these things. The Minister said that with the upcoming changes, he believes that this can be done much more comprehensively under the Arutha Program, God willing.
The government has been providing opportunities for a large number of athletes to receive training in international countries to improve the standard of Maldivian athletes. Under the long-term sports plan being implemented by the government, many initiatives are being implemented to increase the number of gold medals won in the international arena from the Maldivian sports sector over the next 20 years.
Athletes sponsored under the Arutha Program have brought gold, silver, and bronze medals to the Maldives from various international competitions. Tennis is a sport where Maldivian players have been gaining many opportunities and experiences on international platforms. Particularly noteworthy are the achievements of Maldivian tennis players in the junior category.
Among these, in the first week of the ongoing ATF tournament, Maldivian player Naba Nishan has won the championship in both singles and doubles events. The other player who won the doubles event championship is Maldivian Manha Mohamed Ali. Additionally, Maldivian Ara Asal Azim won the championship in both singles and doubles categories of the recently concluded ITF Maldives Junior Open. Ara also won the championship of the ATF tournament held in the Maldives for the first time last year.
In the first week of the ongoing ATF tournament, Maldivian Kiyara Usama Ali has secured the runner-up position in the women’s singles category. Also, Maldivian players Azita Aisha Yameen and Malsha Mohamed have won the runner-up position in the women’s doubles of that tournament.
