The Korea Times

24 April, 2016

Diplomats share joys of tennis

Former President Lee Myung-bak, center in gray jacket, and Korea Times President-Publisher Lee Chang-sup, to his right, are flanked by diplomats and their families during The Korea Times 12th Diplomats & CEO Tennis Championship at the Grand Hyatt Seoul tennis court, Saturday. Pakistani Ambassador Zahid Nasrullah Khan and his Italian partner Francesco Canganella claimed the trophy of the friendly tennis tournament. / Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

Pakistani, Italian duo wins 12th Diplomats & CEO Tennis Championship

It was the fuzzy yellow ball that brought people from different backgrounds together at The Korea Times 12th Diplomats & CEO Tennis Championship, Saturday.

Diplomats and CEOs from more than 11 countries gathered at the court of the Grand Hyatt Seoul on Mt. Nam, in the heart of Seoul, to play tennis and strengthen relations

At this year’s event, Pakistani Ambassador to Korea Zahid Nasrullah Khan and his Italian partner Francesco Canganella won the trophy after defeating a duo from the U.S. 6-3.

Pakistani Ambassador Zahid Nasrullah Khan, right, and his Italian partner Francesco Canganella celebrate after winning The Korea Times 12th Diplomats & CEO Tennis Championship at the Grand Hyatt Seoul tennis court, Saturday. 
 Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

Hosted by The Korea Times and sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Korean Culture and Information Service, the annual friendly tennis tournament had particular significance, as former President Lee Myung-bak took part as a guest player

Despite his age of 74, the former president, who was in Cheong Wa Dae from 2008 to 2013, played four matches against pairs from Ecuador, the United States, New Zealand and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and won every one of them.

Lee Chang-sup, president-publisher of The Korea Times, expressed his gratitude to the players and their families who attended the event.

Ecuadorian Ambassador Oscar Gustavo Herrera Gilbert returns the ball, while Helen Paterson, a spouse of the Australian Ambassador Bill Paterson, serves the ball during The Korea Times 12th Diplomats & CEOs Tennis Championship at the Grand Hyatt Seoul tennis court in Seoul, Saturday. / Korea Times photos by Shim Hyun-chul and Choi Won-suk

“Today, 32 players from Switzerland, Pakistan, Ecuador, the Republic of Sudan, Argentina, Italy, Australia, the United States, New Zealand, Belarus and Russia are competing,” he said. “Thank you for taking part. I am also sending special thanks to the non-playing diplomats and their spouses. They are here today to lend their support to this friendly tennis event.”
Hyun Oh-seok, former deputy prime minister and strategy and finance minister, also competed, teaming with University of Seoul Professor Oh Yoo-sung.

Hyun, who lost in the semifinal, said he could harmonize with participants through the tennis championship.

“By playing tennis matches with diplomatic envoys at the championship, we could promote friendship with each other,” Hyun said. “Though I feel sad that we lost in the semifinal, I think we could unite through tennis.”

James Kim, chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea and CEO and president of GM Korea, left, and Sam Barry, second secretary of the New Zealand Embassy, compete in the tennis friendly tournament.

The final match was between the duo of Pakistani Ambassador Khan and the Italian Embassy’s science attache Canganella, against James Kim, chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea and CEO and president of GM Korea, and Eunju Sagurton, spouse of U.S. political affairs counselor Edwin Sagurton.

It was the Pakistani-Italian duo who took the early lead as the multinational duo went ahead 2-0 with Khan’s strong volleys and smash tactics.

But the U.S. duo still had the power to make the final breathtaking to watch.
In game 3, the U.S. duo took a 40-0 lead thanks to continued unforced errors by Khan. After being taken to deuce, though, the U.S. duo could win the game after Khan’s return failed to fall inside the court. The U.S. duo won game 4 again as Kim repeated eye-catching smashes.
After losing game 5, the U.S. duo took the sixth one to tie the match at 3-3 after a series of prolonged rallies.

The following three matches transformed into one-sided games ― the Pakistani Ambassador stunned his opponents with fast serves in game 7; the U.S. duo fought hard to win game 8 but kept losing points after failing to return Khan’s strong smashes, and Canganella silenced his opponents with a chain of smashes to win the match 6-3.

Regardless of the results, the two sides praised each other and the friendly tennis event.
“The event gave an opportunity to play with so many different types of people and of course tennis is the most enjoyable one,” Khan said. “This event is very important because it gives diplomats an opportunity to meet with so many people and to learn about them.
“Thank you to The Korea Times for making this beautiful event happen today. We all enjoyed it. I also wish to congratulate all the participants today. You are all winners.”
Kim, who had played in the tournament before, also said he took pleasure from the event.
“This is the second time I have participated,” Kim said. “It has always been a lot of fun and today was a lot special because I was able to play with former President Lee Myung-bak, who I play with almost every Saturday. And another partner was also a very good player. Tennis is about teamwork and that is why I had a good record today.”

Korea Times President-Publisher Lee Chang-sup, sixth from right, poses with other winners of The Korea Times 12th Diplomats & CEO Tennis Championship at the Grand Hyatt Seoul tennis court, Saturday. From second from left are Ministry of Foreign Affairs Human Resources Bureau director Lee Seung-buhm, Eunju Sagurton, American Chamber of Commerce in Korea (AMCHAM Korea) and CEO and chairman of GM Korea James Kim, director-general for Overseas Koreans and Consular Affairs Kim Wan-joong, Pakistani Ambassador Zahid Nasrullah Khan, Lee Chang-sup of The Korea Times, Italian Embassy science attaché Francesco Canganella, former deputy prime minister and strategy and finance minister Hyun Oh-seok and Professor Oh Yoo-sung of the University of Seoul.

Source:

http://koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/sports/2016/04/600_203290.html