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January 24: Asitha Attygala, who is the first Asian to win the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Silver Badge qualification for international and professional tennis Refereeing and Umpiring, became part of the prestigious Referees team for the Australian Open Junior Championships this year in Melbourne. This year’s first Grand Slam tennis event, the Australian Open, will come to an end today (1).
Attygala, former Ananda College of Colombo schoolboy, has so far been working as a Chair Umpire for seven long years at the Australian Open.
According to Attygala, it was the first time in recent history that a non-Australian ITF official has been appointed as the Aus Open Grand Slam Junior Referee.
Attygala has made another important milestone last year. He has been awarded with the ‘Service for the Game’ prize given by the ITF at its Annul General Meeting last year. Asitha has been the only tennis official to receive this prestigious award in 2008.
After officiating in both Brisbane and Sydney at ATP and WTA professional tournaments, Attygala is working at the Australian Open (senior segment) ending today.
Only Asian –
Attygala is regarded the only international tennis official from the entire Asian region –in fact the first Asian to achieve such a feat— to hold a Silver Badge certification in both Refereeing and Umpiring.
Asitha is passing 30 years of age now and has officiated in over 20 Grand Slam tournaments so far including three Asian Games and an Olympics, the Beijing Olympics held last year.
Asitha was a certified International Tennis Referee after passing the highest examination in Refereeing held in Hong Kong in 2003. And, he was certified for Chair Umpiring after getting through the highest examination in that discipline held in Cairo, Egypt, in 2001. He was promoted from Bronze to Silver Badge in Chair Umpiring in January, 2006.
"Yet for all, people in Sri Lanka know very little about tennis. Still, it’s amazing that in any of the 200 odd countries in the world, tennis is amongst the top five sports," said Asitha when ‘The Island – Sportstar’ last met him after his Silver Badge qualification.
