Zaruhi Harutyunyan

A top ranked 15 year-old tennis player, Zaruhi Harutyunyan from Armenia has landed in Cyprus.

She has decided to stay in Cyprus and travel the tennis circuit. To that end, community officials offering assistance to the talented girl have already arranged for her to train with the Cypriot National Tennis team at the Federation's National Tennis center and work is under way to arrange issues related to her accommodation and support team who are going to help her make her mark on the tennis circuit.

Harutyunyan decided to stay in Cyprus after the Aphrodite Cup - a world ranking Junior tournament - in which she lost to -three years her senior - world number 228 Zuzanna Likhova of the Czech Republic.

With limited possibilities and opportunities in Armenia, she is hoping that her risks away from home will soon be rewarded.

As a nine year old, Harutyunyan won the Palm Springs - California Under 12 tournament and subsequently won tournaments in Bulgaria, Germany, Holland, France, England in the under 14 and the under 16 categories.

With her practice schedule and physical training already planned and taken care of by interested parties in Cyprus, the community can show its assistance in several other ways.

She will soon go on the world tour. She needs support for travel and accommodation, sponsors for clothing, a budget for her initial take-off, where she will be attempting to break the tennis scene.

You would be amazed with the seemingly little things that are important right now. She is 15 and does not have a driving license and needs rides to and fro the practice grounds every day... twice. She needs to "replace" her family vacuum, of a widowed mother from a car accident, and a four your old sister.

Take a moment to think about the needs of this brave young girl who has given up everything we often take for granted

With her kind of potential I am certain she will give back to her homeland what our homeland is unable to give to her right now.

Source: Gibrahayer