KUCHING: Rainy days won’t stop tennis in Kampung Tanjong Singai, as plans for a second indoor court move forward.
Currently, Kampung Tanjong Singai has one state-of-the-art Class A covered indoor tennis court, which has become a hub for local enthusiasts.
Deputy Minister of Transport and avid tennis enthusiast Datuk Henry Harry Jinep said the new facility is planned to ensure that play continues even during Sarawak’s frequent rainy spells.
“Sometimes, when it’s raining during the rainy season, you don’t have tennis at all. So this one, at least, rescues what we call tennis enthusiasts,” he told Sarawak Tribune at the SLTA-KDLTA Chinese New Year courtside dinner at the Sarawak Lawn Tennis Association (SLTA) centre recently.
The existing court has already hosted finals that could not be held elsewhere due to weather conditions, providing a practical alternative for tournaments.
Looking ahead, he added that the second indoor court is in the planning stage, with construction expected to begin later this year.
“We have not started yet, but we plan to build the court first. The building will come later. Hopefully, we can start slowly this year. There’s no rushing, because we still have the existing court.
“The reason why we built the second court is to make sure that when tournaments are held, you have two courts available,” he said.
The project is part of a broader vision to develop a tennis tourism village in the kampung, offering cabins for families and visitors who want to enjoy tennis alongside rural experiences such as hiking and kampung life.
While the tennis club, Club Tennis Giang, focuses purely on the sport, the village facilities aim to promote tourism and recreational stays.
Youth development is another key focus. Henry noted that school children in the area have begun taking an interest in tennis, with outreach programs encouraging parents to involve their children. Some Under-12 players have already shown promising results in recent tournaments.
“After we started building, a lot of young kampung children began to enjoy tennis. So we do outreach programs in schools, and parents are also interested in sending their young kids to train at the kampung level.
“We can already see improvement in rural tennis. We want to further groom them and promote tennis in schools as well, that’s why Dr. Les Met, the deputy director of education, is here,” he added.
With the combination of improved facilities, youth programs, and tourism initiatives, Kampung Tanjong Singai is poised to become a growing centre for tennis in rural Sarawak.
Also present at the dinner was SLTA president Datuk Patrick Liew.
