KUCHING: The Sarawak Lawn Tennis Association (SLTA) has finalised its long list of players for the upcoming Malaysia Games (SUKMA), with the confirmed squad expected to be announced by May, says its president Datuk Patrick Liew.
Liew said the long list was established in accordance with guidelines set by the Sarawak State Sports Council (MSN Sarawak) and has already been submitted to the relevant authorities.
“Based on the MSN time frame, we have actually identified the players and submitted the long list. However, along the way, a few younger players have withdrawn after their parents felt the long training period could affect their studies,” he told Sarawak Tribune.
He explained that the withdrawals mainly involved players from younger age groups, as balancing academic commitments with extended training schedules proved challenging.
Liew added that SLTA will conduct a final selection process before submitting the confirmed squad by May.
He also said the association is awaiting budget approval to proceed with plans to send selected players for overseas intensive training and competitions as part of their preparation.
“We are also waiting for budget approval so that we can send the players for overseas intensive training for some competitions,” he said.
For the record, there are potentially nine long-listed and six shortlisted tennis players identified for SUKMA 2026 in Selangor.
