Beach Tennis - A New Sport for Hua Hin

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Beach Tennis - A New Sport for Hua Hin

Hua Hin: -- The Lawn Tennis Association of Thailand (LTAT) under His Royal Majesty’s patronage and the Hua Hin Municipality have introduced beach tennis to Hua Hin, a new type of tennis well-known to players worldwide.

The Chairman of LTAT Mr. Suwat Liptapanlop said that the Beach Tennis Championship was organised at Centennial Park Hua Hin to celebrate the new year of 2014. It included 32 pairs of foreign tennis players, 16 male and 16 female. The opening was officially hosted by world renowned tennis players Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenca.

Beach tennis is played on a beach area, 6 metres in length, 8 metres in width with a 1.7 metre high tennis net. Beach tennis uses the same rules as lawn tennis. The International Tennis Federation (ITF) is certifying the sport for future championships and tournaments.

Mr. Suwat added that the Beach Tennis Championship in Hua Hin was a most important event and marked the emergence of this sport for the next generations.

Not only does the sport boost good health among Thai people but it also promotes Thai beach tennis for international tennis championships in the future.

Seventy players from many countries, including Russia, Spain, England and Italy were invited to compete with one another and show their own techniques of playing the sport to tennis lovers in Thailand.

“I’d like Thai people to practice beach tennis in Hua Hin because the City has long stretches of beach where it can be played. This will help promote both tourism and sporting activities in Hua Hin. Once beach tennis is approved as an international sport for Thailand, it will be a way to make Thai sportspeople internationally famous because our people can play it as skillfully and professionally as foreigners,” said Mr. Suwat.

The Advisor to the Mayor of Hua Hin, Mr. Suwit Rienrungreung also stated on behalf of Executive Members of the Hua Hin Municipality that he was proud to learn that Hua Hin was is first place in Thailand where the beach tennis has been introduced and wouldthat it would probably become internationalised. Once the sport is officially approved by sporting authorities an ideal place will be found on Hua Hin beaches where Thai people and foreigners can practice it together.

Originating from Italy, beach tennis is a popular sport and has been played and adopted in many countries of Europe. It is the first time the sport has been ‘imported’ to Thailand by the LTAT’s Chairman.

-- Hua Hin Today 2014-01-31