Taiwan’s Liu Ming-liang, counsellor at the Taipei representative mission in Korea, serves the ball during The Korea Times 8th Annual Diplomatic Tennis Championships at the outdoor courts of the Grand Hyatt Hotel, Saturday. / Korea Times photos by Yoon Gwan-sic

By Philip Iglauer

After a week of intermittent rain and the threatening clouds, April proved it’s all about spring, sun and The Korea Times’ 8th Annual Diplomatic Tennis Championships.

Some 200 participants, including 40 foreign envoys from 25 nations and their family and many friends came together, Saturday for the all-day tourney at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in the spirit of friendly competition and making new friends.

“Once again KT (Korea Times) proved April is all about its tennis tournament,” said Hungarian Ambassador to Korea Miklos Lengyel, after he clinched the championship for his second straight year.

Some 32 players vied through the day in successive games of competitive doubles between 16 teams.

As the sun began set, Lengyel, along with teammate John Sormark, Swedish Duty Chief of Mission Olf Sormark’s 20-something son, dfeated the Czech team’s Milos Sklenka, head of the economic and commercial mission of the Czech Embassy in Seoul, and his partner Thomas Pinansky, senior foreign attorney at Barun Law.

The day began with those familiar rain clouds as 32 tournament competitors arrived at 9 a.m., but a pale sun broke out soon enough and with it people exchanged jovial chatter and jokes.

“I am afraid my service will be as ineffective as a North Korean rocket,” joked a German VIP in the morning as players prepared for the first matches.

Paraguayan Ambassador Ceferino Valdez wryly suggested there might be foul play behind the only two Latin American teams facing off first. “Is it a conspiracy that Ecuador and Mexico must play each other first,” he said.

Rashid Mohd Zain, trade counsel at the Malaysian External Trade Development Corporation, said he was proud that he and Somlith Khantivong, Deputy Chief of Mission at Laotian Embassy in Korea, could represent Southeast Asian countries in spirited tennis.

Over all, foreign envoys said good laughs, good food and good sport on the courts of the Hyatt’s garden lobby lent to a casual and congenial atmosphere.

“I really like the friendly ambiance,” said Soledad Lavina, Spanish Ambassador’s wife.

Mexican Ambassador to Korea Martha Ortiz de Rosas, who could not play this year, but came out later in the day to cheer for her husband who represented her country with Yoon June-shik, honorary consul of Mexico in Daegu. “I am just sorry missed so much of the action,” she said.

“It is wonderful to have this opportunity to enjoy the sun, the ambiance of these splendid facilities and good food and close friends,” Paraguyan Ambassador to Korea Ceferino Valdez said.

Plus many do not have chances to play tennis, a sport they love.

“Opportunities to play tennis don’t come along very often, and I have not seen him play since he arrived three years ago,” the elder Sormarck said of his son.

Oscar Herrera, director of Ecuador’s trade office here, said this is the first time in about a year and a half for him to play tennis. His wife, Maria Leonor Ruora, said it’s the first for her to play on a grass court.

The three participants form the Russian embassy inspired the largest group of supporters to come out with 12 Russians clapping and cheering their two teams in the competition.

“And this is just the beginning,” Russian Ambassador to Korea Konstantin Vnukov, who took part as a participant this time after having played the previous three years.

“The main thing is not the result, but rather it is about the participation,” Vnukov said. “It’s really a great idea to invite diplomats and friends for a sporting event.”