A youth ranking tournament in tennis has started in Bishkek, gathering young athletes from the capital, other regions, and even abroad. The opening of the event was covered by a correspondent from the publication VB.KG. This tournament has become part of the ranking competition system, the results of which will form the national ranking of players.
Kazbek Moldazhiyev, the director of the State Agency for Physical Culture and Sports under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic, shared his thoughts with our publication about the significance of this tournament.
“Holding such an event is a real joy for us. Over the years of Kyrgyzstan's independence, tournaments of this level have been held very rarely. We strive to make the event schedule more saturated, planning regular ranking tournaments, possibly even quarterly,” he said.
Moldazhiyev expressed gratitude to the leadership of the Tennis Federation, particularly to President Nelly Buyuklyanova, noting that despite the short time since her election, significant steps are already being taken to organize tournaments of this level. “The state will always support such initiatives,” he added.
The agency director noted that the number of participants is encouraging, as it indicates a growing interest among youth in tennis and a healthy lifestyle. “It is important to develop sports infrastructure so that young people have choices. Let the child try different sports — tennis, martial arts, and others. The main thing is that they find what truly interests them,” he emphasized.
Kazbek Moldazhiyev urged parents to support their children in their pursuit of an active lifestyle: “This will help us achieve greater results on the international stage.”
The results of the current ranking tournament will contribute to the formation of each participant's ranking. Currently, the system is being digitized. Following several tournaments, a national team of Kyrgyzstan will be formed, for which the state will provide flights and accommodation to participate in international competitions, world championships, and continental tournaments. “This is excellent practice and a good signal,” noted the official.
He also emphasized the importance of covering such tournaments to attract more youth to this sport.
The tournament features athletes not only from the capital but also from all regions of the country, as well as invited participants from Kazakhstan. Moldazhiyev reminded the federations of the need to hold tournaments not only in Bishkek, adding that they themselves will travel to the regions. An example is the recently held judo championship in Osh, which provided an opportunity for athletes from the regions to showcase their abilities.
As for the future of tennis in the country, Moldazhiyev expressed optimism: “I see good prospects. Tennis is an elite sport that attracts both youth and adults. I have personally observed how actively the older generation engages in it. And I will say again, seeing such a number of participants is a good sign for the future of tennis in Kyrgyzstan,” he concluded.
