SportCares gets into the WTA act

SINGAPORE — They came for a tennis clinic with Simona Halep and world No 5 doubles pairing Raquel Kops-Jones and Abigail Spears.

But the 40 girls aged eight to 18 at the OCBC Arena yesterday for Sport Singapore’s SportCares workshop also had the opportunity to meet 20-year-old world No 6 Eugenie Bouchard. WTA Future Stars competitors from 12 different countries also helped out at the clinic, while Culture, Community and Youth Minister Lawrence Wong took a quick lesson from Halep, exchanging rallies with the world No 3.

SportCares, which helps underprivileged children, youth-at-risk, needy seniors, people with disabilities and the disadvantaged in the community, was named this week as the social cause of the WTA Finals, which starts tomorrow at the Sports Hub.

Said SportCares deputy director Laura Reid: “We’re planting seeds so in the future, maybe in five years or 10, we’re going to start to see the benefits of the work that’s been done.

“We’re trying to get (the girls) past the ‘I’m a beneficiary, you help me’ stage to the ‘I can actually help you now’.

“We’re starting with tennis, but we’re also looking at volunteering, getting them to know the sport well enough to become ballkids or lineswomen, officials and maybe work in events management.” JEAN IAU