Roland-Garros Jr Wild Card Series from April 29

The French Tennis Federation (FFT), organisers of the worlds premier clay court event -- Roland-Garros, in association with the All India Tennis Association (AITA), on Friday announced that the fifth edition of the 'Roland-Garros Junior Wild Card Series will be held here between April 29 and May 1.

The competition returns to the country for a fifth consecutive year, and this year it will be with four-time Roland-Garros winner Justine Henin, who will be in the city for the Junior Wild Card competition.

The Roland-Garros Junior Wild Card Series aims at providing a clay court tennis experience to the young talent of India, and at promoting the same at the grassroots level. It will be held at the clay courts of the Delhi Lawn Tennis Association (DLTA) from April 29 to May 1, 2019.

The fifth edition will see a total of eight players each from the boys' and girls' category compete to earn qualification to the wild card play-offs of the Junior draws at Roland-Garros 2019 in Paris.

The top eight boys and the top eight girls in the AITA rankings will be chosen to participate in the competition. It is an important tournament as it gives the winners the opportunity to compete against the best junior players from China, Brazil and India.

To motivate and support the young players, tennis star Justine Henin will be visiting India on a two-day trip where she will host a tennis clinic with the players, and will be watching the young Indian talent perform on the clay courts. The former World No. 1 women's player won Roland-Garros in 2003, 2005, 2006 and 2007, and is considered one of the best female tennis players.

--IANS

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