Today, the Turkmen capital hosted a solemn opening ceremony of the Ashgabat Open 2024 international tennis tournament among boys and girls under 14 from 12 countries of Europe and Asia. This event became a new visual evidence of transformation of Ashgabat into the recognised international sports centre and a broad support from the International and Asian Tennis Federations, realised under the leadership of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Khalk Maslakhaty Hero-Arkadag, purposeful strategy of development of physical training and sports that acts as one of the priorities of the state policy of Turkmenistan.

In the Era of Revival of the new epoch of the powerful state physical culture and sports movement in Turkmenistan has found a wide scope. Mass sports actions, which unite thousands of people of all ages and professions became traditional. The special attention is given to development of sports of higher achievements, preparation of high quality sportsmen and trainers, other profile experts. National athletes regularly participate in large international competitions, occupying prize-winning places and receiving medals, including gold ones. So, from the beginning of the current year national sportsmen have taken part in 161 international competition and have won in total 538 medals, including 174 gold, 150 silver and 214 bronze medals. All it eloquently testifies to the constantly growing authority of our country as sports power.

In recent years in cooperation with international sports organisations on the basis of objects of the Ashgabat Olympic village constructed according to the world standards a number of large competitions were held. So, in 2017 there with a big success the V Asian indoor and martial arts games were held. The further augmentation of sports authority of the country was promoted by the International motor rally "Amul-Hazar" and the world weightlifting championship, which entered new bright pages in the history of national and world sports. Among subsequent large sport competitions held in Ashgabat - 14th world championship in the kurash and international tournament in hockey, in which teams of states of the Commonwealth and other countries took part.

The work of the Tennis Federation of Turkmenistan on the organisation of team championship of Central Asia among children under 12 in Ashgabat received an appreciation of the Asian Tennis Federation. The regional championship held in June, 2023 in the Olympic village of the Turkmen capital with participation of teams of Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan which was held in Ashgabat already for the second time, was named by heads of ATF as a standard and example of organisation of tennis competitions. It is also pleasant that in the General Assembly of the Asian Tennis Federation, which took place in this year, the Tennis Federation of Turkmenistan was recognised as one of the most rapidly developing organisations in Asia.

And now Ashgabat will organise one more, more representative International tennis tournament - «Ashgabat Open 2024» in which sportsmen from Great Britain, India, Iran, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan take part. With a view of its conduction at a high level the State Committee of Turkmenistan for physical culture and sports created a working group, which included representatives of ministries and departments, and the plan of corresponding actions was confirmed.

Thanks to large-scale multidimensional work, the Turkmen capital has won a great prestige on international scene as promptly developing centre of world sports with all conditions for competitions of the highest level. And therefore it is not without reason that the announcement of Ashgabat «City of new sports possibilities of the Commonwealth» became a sign of special trust in Turkmenistan from the international sports community, a recognition of merits of our country in development of physical training and promotion of sports, strengthening of international cooperation in the given sphere on May 24, in the Turkmen capital in the next meeting of the Council of heads of governments of the CIS.

The first two-day visit of President of the International Tennis Federation David Haggerty (ITF) and president of the Asian Tennis Federation (ATF) Yuri Polsky to our country became a significant event in the sports life of Turkmenistan.

On March 27 of the current year, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov received visitors. During the meeting interest of ITF and ATF in development of fruitful cooperation with Turkmenistan where the special attention is given to stimulation and promotion of sports, recognition of principles of healthy and active way of life in society was expressed.

Having underlined that big successes are reached in our country in the given direction, Mr. David Haggerty handed the head of Turkmenistan the certificate of the International Tennis Federation.

This year, the Asian Tennis Federation recognised the tennis complex of the Olympic village of Ashgabat as the education and training centre of the Asian region. The corresponding certificate was given by the representative of the International Tennis Federation for development of tennis in Asia Seyed Amir Borghei.

The announcement of the 3^rd June as World Bicycle Day at the initiative of Turkmenistan and unanimous adoption of Resolutions of General Assembly of the United Nations «Integration of mass bicycle movement into systems of public transport for sustainable development achievement» and « United Nations Organization Friendship Games» became an eloquent acknowledgement of appreciation and recognition of the world community successes of our country in development of sports, advancement of values of physical culture and sports movement.

The venue of the solemn ceremony of opening of the International tournament «Ashgabat Open 2024» became the tennis complex ,which enters into the infrastructure of the capital Olympic village, built at the initiative of the Leader of the Turkmen people Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov for conduction of the V Asian indoor and martial arts games. Now this largest sport object serves for organisation of large competitions and preparation of athletes and all wishing to improve their health in the region of Central Asia.

Today, on stands of a 4-thousand indoor arena of the Olympic village where numerous spectators gathered, the celebratory atmosphere reigns. All with excitement wait for the beginning of the competitions, which will be watched henceforth by a wide audience of fans.

There comes a long-awaited moment. On the arena of the sport complex, the National flags of countries-participants of the tournament and the tablet with names of states are taken out. The official part of the opening of competitions begins.

Under solemn conditions, a welcoming message of the President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov, in which it is noted that since ancient times our ancestors regarded sports as a harbinger of peace and friendship and nowadays we, being attached to their principle, we see in it rather important things in common with the whole world and universal remedy for strengthening of friendly links with people of the planet, is read out.

«The present competition – a bright event in sports annals of Turkmenistan and I am sure that it appreciably will serve the strengthening of international cooperation in the field of sports, advancement of ideas of peace and friendship, principles of the Olympic movement, and increase of skill and abilities of young tennis players», - the head of the state underlined, having expressed confidence that the International tennis tournament «Ashgabat Open 2024» will give a powerful stimulus to development of the given sport in Turkmenistan, and its foreign participants will fully experience hospitality of Turkmen people and receive bright impressions of our sunny country.

They heard the welcoming message of the President of Turkmenistan with huge enthusiasm and a storm of applause.

There comes a culmination moment: the International tennis tournament «Ashgabat Open 2024» is announced open! The National anthem of Turkmenistan to the majestic sound, of which the emerald canvas of the sacred banner of our native land towers over stands, plays.

Then, with a welcoming message to its participants chairman of the Tennis Federation of Turkmenistan, vice-president of the Asian Tennis Federation E.Dovletov addressed. Having expressed sincere gratitude to President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and the National Leader of the Turkmen people Hero-Arkadag for huge attention to development of sports and in particular, tennis, and also for possibility to hold the next large international competitions, the head of the national and continental tennis organisations warmly congratulated participants of the tournament on its beginning and wished them success.

Further, the floor was given to the representative of the International Tennis Federation, main judge of the tournament «Ashgabat Open 2024» by Mehdi Malekzade. Having underlined that the Turkmen party creates the most favourable conditions for conduction of competitions, including fine sports objects, Mr. Mehdi Malekzade on behalf of ITF expressed deep gratitude to President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and the National Leader of the Turkmen people Hero-Arkadag for strong support and powerful contribution to development of tennis.

Upon termination of the official part of the ceremony, the music and dance composition took place. The high skill of groups of the Palace of Children and Youth («Ýetginjekler köşgi»), «Galkynyş», students of the Turkmen state institute of physical culture and sports, and children of sports schools of the capital was displayed with impressive cultural programs.

And certainly, there can be hardly a holiday without stirring ancient dance kushtdepdi! Being an original embodiment of indissoluble link of times and generations, it became an integral part of not only national, but also world cultural heritage. So, by the UNESCO decision, the kushtdepdi was included in the Representative List of intangible cultural heritage of humanity.

The song «Arkadagly Gahryman Serdarymyza şöhrat” became a bright finale of the celebration!», which the whole audience caught up.

So, the International tennis tournament «Ashgabat Open 2024» started. Ahead of fans fascinating duels on courts wait. Organizers of competitions took care of the cultural program of their participants in which they will visit the cultural-entertaining centre "Älem", the national museum of wildlife, International Akhal teke horse-racing complex, excursion to the Olympic village, shopping centres "Berkarar", «Aşgabat», «Arkaç» and other sights of the Turkmen capital.