Southeastern Turkey's Şırnak, once blighted by PKK terrorism, has turned a new page as it opened its doors for an international tennis tournament for the first time in the city’s history.
The Cudi Cup International Tennis Tournament, named after Mount Cudi, is a testament to the prevailing peace and security in the city, years after counterterrorism operations eliminated PKK terrorists from the province and its urban areas, in particular.
The tennis tournament is being held on the Şırnak University campus, under the auspices of the Youth and Sports Ministry, with support from the Turkish Tennis Federation (TTF), the local governor and the mayor’s office.
Some 81 tennis players, including 37 girls aged 14 and under, from Turkey, Russia, Lithuania, Kazakhstan, Tunisia, Poland, Iran, Georgia and England are participating in the tournament.
Although matches began Monday, Youth and Sports Minister formally Mehmet Muharrem Kasapoğlu inaugurated the event on Tuesday. The finals will be held on May 22.
TTF President Cengiz Durmuş said they are working closely with the government on projects to spread sports across Turkey.
"In order to do so, we held a national-level tournament here last year. We are excited to return to Şırnak with an international tournament, a first for the federation, as well as the city," he said.
Georgian tennis player Konstantine Sharvashidze, 14, hoped the tournament would help him on his journey to becoming a professional tennis player.
14-year-old Aslı Defne Türkoğlu, who is participating in the tournament from Istanbul, said this was her first time in Turkey’s southeast and she loved Şırnak very much.
Minister Kasapoğlu, in the meanwhile, visited the tournament area and met the players Tuesday.
"Cudi is in a festive mood today. The beauty of spring is here. There is also enthusiasm and excitement ahead of the Youth Week. Today there is love and brotherhood in Cudi.
"Today flowers on Mount Cudi will bloom with the power of sports, excitement of youth and the happiness of our people in Turkey," he said.
He also congratulated young people around Turkey on Youth Week and the May 19 Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day.