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The five-day 31st International U-18 Junior Tennis Championship began in Rajshahi on Monday with players from 10 countries taking part.
The tournament was inaugurated at 9am at the Rajshahi Tennis Complex, with local officials and representatives of the Bangladesh Tennis Federation attending the opening ceremony.
Approved by the International Tennis Federation (ITF), the competition features more than 100 young players from host Bangladesh, India, Thailand, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Nepal, Japan, China, South Korea and the United States.
Thailand’s Likul Patcharaphul is the highest-ranked player in the boys’ event, while India’s Sheikh Shajfa is the top-ranked player in the girls’ competition.
Five players from Rajshahi are taking part in the tournament. Local players Rakin Rahman and Bokul Ali have secured direct places in the main draw.
The championship will run from October 5 to 10 and features singles and doubles events. The singles main draw has 32 players, while 16 teams will compete in the doubles event.
Rajshahi Divisional Commissioner Md Yousuf Ali chaired the opening ceremony. Rajshahi City Corporation Administrator Mahfuzur Rahman, Bangladesh Tennis Federation General Secretary Ishtiaq Ahmed Karen and District Commissioner Kazi Shahidul Islam also spoke at the event.
The speakers said the tournament would give promising Bangladeshi players an opportunity to gain international-level experience by competing against players from different countries.
Indian official Jai Mukherjee is serving as the tournament’s White Badge referee.
The organisers expressed hope that the international event would help develop junior tennis in Bangladesh and provide local players with valuable exposure to international competition.