Aruba – March 26, 2024 – The second edition of the ABC Beach Tennis Cup took place this
past weekend, from March 22 to 25, in Bonaire. The sporting event draws top beach
tennis players from each island to battle it out for their respective island nations. With 80
teams and 160 players total signed up for the ABC Cup, it was a completely full
tournament.
Held as part of the Bonaire International Sports Week, the tournament witnessed Aruba’s
athletes clinching numerous gold medals, underscoring their dominance in the sport.
Amongst the categories contested, Aruba particularly excelled in the Advanced Men and
Women as well as the Open Women divisions.
In the highly competitive Open Women’s category (top level play), Maria Buuts and
Eugemine Ignacio from Aruba dominated the competition, securing the gold medals with
their outstanding performance during an intensely tight match against Bonaire’s Farah
Mesbahi and Inge Vos. In the Advanced Men’s category, Anderson Giel and Amaro
Maduro showcased their exceptional skills and determination to claim victory. The
Advanced Women’s division witnessed an all-Aruba final match, with Jenna El Oualkadi
and Rixt Kramer emerging as the winners, while Yentl Lieuw and Jacomien Aleman
represented Aruba as runners-up, further strengthening Aruba’s dominance in the ABC
Cup.
The annual tournament also gives a good indication of the rising level of beach tennis on
the individual islands and the results are visible in the Open Men category with an all
Bonairian final played by Jerry Lomp and Sigrel Burnet against champions Tim Eikholt and
Joeri van Bon.
Highlighting the camaraderie and teamwork encouraged by events like the ABC Beach
Tennis Cup, the tournament was a chance for players from nearby islands to come
together, enjoy the sport, and connect. The Aruba Open Beach Tennis Championships,
which takes place every November on Bushiri Beach, is one of the biggest beach tennis
events worldwide, attracting players from across the globe. Bonaire regularly sends
around 50 players to this event, so it is only natural for Aruba to return the favor by
visiting Bonaire’s expanding beach tennis facility, strengthening the bond between the
sister islands even more.
Looking back on Aruba’s impressive performance over the weekend in Bonaire, Marc
Kiezebrink of Beach Tennis Aruba says he is incredibly proud of the athletes’
accomplishments, attributing their success to their unwavering dedication and hard
work. He emphasized the growing popularity of beach tennis globally and within the ABC
Islands, applauding Aruba’s players for leading the charge once again.