10 December, Kaski. The 21st edition of the ‘Machhapuchhre Pokhara Open and Veterans Tennis’ tournament will be held in Pokhara, the tourist capital city of the country, from the 11th of January.
Organized by the Kaski District Tennis Association, the organizers announced today through a press conference that all the preparations for the tournament to be held at the tennis court in Pokhara Stadium have been completed.
Naveen Chalise, the vice president of the Kaski District Tennis Association, informed that in the tournament, which will be held until the 15th of January, women and men will compete in ‘singles’ and ‘doubles’ and veterans will compete in the age groups of 35, 45, 55 and 65 years and above.
To participate in the competition, athletes from neighboring countries like India, Bhutan, Britain, Japan, Hong Kong and other countries have arrived in Pokhara along with various provinces and districts of Nepal.
Tournament director Kumar Adhikari said that Nepal’s top seed Pradeep Khadka along with Jitendra Periyar, Kamal Bhandari, Arav Samrat Hada, Nehaljung Thapa, Rohit Sunuwar, Manoj Rana and women’s side Sunira Thapa, Saloni Tamang will participate.
According to the official, more than 100 players including 31 players in men’s singles, 11 players in women’s singles, 32 players above 35 years, 29 players above 45 years, and 20 players above 55 years will compete.
The winner of the women’s and men’s singles will receive a cash prize of Rs.80,000, the runners-up will receive a trophy with Rs.40,000 and the semi-finalists will receive a medal with a cash prize of Rs.20,000.
Tournament coordinator Chalise informed that the winner of women’s and men’s doubles will receive a cash prize of Rs 30,000, the runner-up will receive a trophy of Rs 15,000 and the semi-finalist will receive a medal prize of Rs 10,000 in cash.
Likewise, the winner of the singles above 35 years of age will receive a cash prize of Rs 60,000, the runner-up will receive a trophy with Rs 30,000 and the semi-finalist will receive a medal award with cash of Rs 15,000.
Similarly, the doubles winner above 35 years of age will receive a cash prize of Rs 20,000, the runner-up will receive a trophy with Rs 10,000 and the semi-finalists will receive a medal award with cash of Rs 10,000.
According to the organizers, the winner of the singles above 45 years of age will receive a cash prize of Rs 40,000, the runner-up will receive a trophy with Rs 20,000 and the semi-finalists will receive a medal award with cash of Rs 10,000. It is said that the doubles winner above 45 years of age will receive a cash prize of Rs.
Vice President of Nepal Tennis Association Vinod Kayastha said that this tournament has been held continuously for the longest time in Nepal’s tennis history and is helpful for the promotion of sports tourism.
Rajkumar Gurung, president of the Kaski Tennis Association, expressed his belief that the tournament will also help Pokhara’s sports tourism.
