Kota Kinabalu: The Meerkat team from Kuala Lumpur emerged as champions at the 16th edition of the Sabah Invitational Team Tennis Championship 2025, held recently in Sandakan.
Meerkat took home a cash prize of RM8,000 and the championship trophy, which became theirs permanently after winning the title three times in a row.
The international-level tournament attracted 11 teams competing over four days, with six teams from outside Sabah and five local teams.
The teams from outside Sabah included Meerkat, Meerkat SLCkers, and Mobile Coach from Kuala Lumpur, Aces Go Places from Ipoh, Perak, Melaka United, and Ayer Keroh Tennis Club from Melaka.
The local teams were Sandakan Fighters, Tawau Warriors, KK Frenz, Suria Tennis Club, and Kota Belud District Tennis Association.
The local team, Tawau Warriors, featuring three Indonesian players and one from the Philippines, finished as runners-up, taking home RM5,000.
Third place, with a prize of RM3,000, went to Mobile Coach after defeating Melaka United in the third and fourth place playoff, with Melaka United earning RM1,500.
All prizes were presented by Noorman Ramlan, Deputy Director of the Department of Youth and Sports (Federal), Sandakan.
He congratulated all winners and expressed appreciation to the organiers, the Sabah Tennis Association (STA), as well as the host, the Sandakan District Tennis Association, for successfully hosting the tournament.
This championship, which is usually held in Kota Kinabalu, was hosted for the first time in Sandakan following a proposal by the former president of STA Johnson Koh, which was agreed upon by the current president.
