BENGALURU:
Over 59 players across Karnataka participated in the State Level Wheelchair Tennis Tournament, 2024 conducted by the Karnataka Wheelchair Tennis Association (KWTA) on October 2024 at KSLTA Tennis Stadium, Cubbon Park, Bangalore.
The event sponsored by Karle Infra and co-sponsored by Baldota Group provides a platform for specially abled tennis players to compete on a level playing field.
Speaking on the occasion, B.R. Chandrakant, President of KWTA said “KWTA was formed 15 years ago to encourage people with differently abled to have a sense of achievement by participating in these tennis tournaments. We had received 59 entries which included 39 entries from outside Bangalore from small towns like Hubli, Hassan, Davangere, Koppal, Dharwad, Haveri, Bagalkot etc. In all, 24 women players and 35 men vied for the prize money of Rs.50000/-.”
Some of the celebrity players were Shilpa KP, No.1 in India ranking and 117 in International Ranking, Prathima Rao who ranks No.2 in Indi& Ranking in both singles & doubles, Madhu, Anil D Almeida, and Devegowda Anjinappa who have all played in several International Tournaments outside India.
Special mention must be made of Shekar Veeraswamy, & ball boy at KSLTA who was disabled in an accident and thereafter encouraged by the members of KWTA took up wheelchair tennis and today holds & world ranking No.246.
The association has provided free boarding and lodging for all the participants.
The chief guest at the Prize Distribution ceremony was Maheshwar Rao, Managing Director of Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation & Secretary of Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association.
Sudharshan Karle, Managing Director, Karle Infra was the Guest of Honour. Sunil Yejaman, Joint Secretary, KSLTA was a Special Invitee.
