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Monday, Feb 18, 2008
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A day out for veteran tennis players

Staff Reporter

Photo: Lingaraj Panda

Ajaya Mahapatra (right) and Ajaya Sahu (left) receive the winner’s trophy from Satyabrata Sahu (centre), the Revenue Divisional Commissioner, in Berhampur on Saturday. --

BERHAMPUR: It was like a day-long picnic for the veteran tennis players of the State, participating in the Orissa Open Veterans’ Tennis Tournament played at the tennis courts at Union club of the city on Saturday.

The matches continued till 10 p.m. For the first time the veteran championship was being played under flood light in the city.

A large crowd of men and women had gathered to cheer when Ajay Mohapatra and Ajay Sahu of Bhubaneswar won the tournament by defeating the pair comprising of V. Raman of Bhubaneswar and Raja Reddy of Cuttack.

A party continued near the courts for invited spectators and family members of players.

The president of the Ganjam district Tennis Association, Arjun Swain informed that in Orissa Open Veterans’ Tennis Tournament only doubles matches were being played. Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC), Satyabrata Sahu also preferred to spend whole evening at this party-cum-tournament. He handed over the trophy to the winners and mementos to the participants.

Thirty two veteran tennis players from all over the State came to take part in this tournament along with their families. More than 60-year-old Ghanashyam Chawda with flowing beard from Keonjhar became the darling of the crowd with his enthusiasm although his pair could not reach the finals. Mr. Chawda and Mr. Swain took the initiative to make this tournament more of a picnic since 1998. Since then the players started to come over to this tournament with their family to enjoy a day of partying and near the court.

Pramita Swain, wife of Mr. Swain, who is an officiated as linesman in tournaments said she waits for this tournament.

“It provides an enjoyable family picnic where we can teach the younger generation that fun in life should not dry up with age”, she said.

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