NEW head of Tennis Jamaica, Aubyn Hill, whose business exploits in North America, Europe, Middle East, Asia, and Africa often involve avid tennis playing, sees increased competition as a catalyst to driving the game forward islandwide.

With an MBA from Harvard Business School and having transacted business in over 105 countries, Hill is expected to bring his golden touch to a sport in which Jamaicans have always been underperforming.

"This increased level and breadth of competitive tennis is absolutely required if we're going to move talented juniors into skilful and well-prepared seniors who can be champions in Jamaica, represent the country internationally, and build their careers though the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) competitions," he said.

As junior players sharpen their skills against each other in "recognised and properly organised competitions", Hill adds: "Any sport needs recognised champions and Tennis Jamaica needs to put the resources in place to create and support champions.

"This new administration... will need to work... consistently and... relentlessly with prospective sponsors and benefactors to help us provide the financial support and encouragement for these people," explained Hill, a left-handed player.

"We've already started to build back our membership base to try to get most everyone who plays tennis in Jamaica to be a member of Tennis Jamaica.

"We will shortly review and enhance our inventory of tennis facilities in the country and get arrangements in place to ensure where the tennis courts are either underutilised or not used at all, Tennis Jamaica will work with the owners of these courts to make them available, under agreed arrangements, for Tennis Jamaica members (juniors and seniors) to use.

"Tennis Jamaica will seek to promote tennis as a health maintenance and enhancement activity," stated Hill, who was introduced to tennis at university and considers it "as one of the best gifts a friend has given me".

In an effort to bring various factions of the sport together, especially senior players who have had virtually no support from Tennis Jamaica, Hill says he would take a "direct approach when dealing with challenges and problems".

"These issues must be put on the table and completely aired and I'm always aware as a senior executive or board member of my primary fiduciary responsibility to the organisation.

"I'm quite willing to work with anyone who has the interest and success of Tennis Jamaica at heart. As president, one of my main jobs will be to make sure where there is a variety of interests we can meet, discuss and agree on the main objectives around which all well-meaning members can form a coalition for success.

"Tennis Jamaica must be clear about what it wants to achieve and use the existing and amended (if necessary) rules and regulations to keep the organisation on a disciplined path to success.

Will he be making any effort to bring Dustin Brown, ranked 113 in the world, back into Jamaica tennis?

"The simple answer is 'yes'. However... in a situation such as this there are many sides to the issue and as the new president of Tennis Jamaica I will make every effort to see if we can get both sides back to a mutually beneficial and respectful relationship," he noted.

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