PRESS RELEASE – A familiar face in Guam’s local tennis scene will be sharing the courts with some of the world’s top tennis players as a linesman in this month’s Australian Open.
Guam’s 21-year-old Swami, left to Australia late last week to first officiate at the Apia Sydney International, a lead-up tournament to the Australian Open. Later, he will call lines at the Grand Slam tournament scheduled for Jan. 14 to 27 in Melbourne, where both the men’s and women’s singles winners will each receive over US$2.5 million, the largest prize money purse in the history of the sport, according to the Australian Open Web site.
“We’re extremely proud of Swami and his dedication to the sport of tennis,” said Torgun Smith, owner/partner of the Tennis Academy of Guam and tournament director for the 2013 Guam Futures tennis tournament. “The Australian Open is one of the biggest tennis tournaments in the world, and receiving an invitation to call lines at a Grand Slam is definitely an honor for anyone.”
Swami, a former secretary of the Guam National Tennis Federation, will be among over 300 officials at this year’s Australian Open. Swami had his first taste of international tennis match
officiating outside of Guam at the 2011 Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships. He received an invitation to call lines at the ATP World Tour 500 event after being spotted and recommended by visiting ITF officials during the 2011 Guam Futures tennis tournament at the Hilton Guam Resort & Spa tennis courts.
In 2012, Swami returned to Japan to first call lines at a tournament in Kyushu and later the 2012 Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships, where he was selected as a linesman for all matches, including the final match that saw Japan’s Kei Nishikori become the first Japanese man to win the tournament. Nishikori defeated Canada’s Milos Raonic in three sets for the title. Raonic earned his finals berth against Nishikori after unseating the tournament’s defending champion, Great Britain’s Andy Murray, who earlier in the year had won the gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics.
At one point in the final, Nishikori challenged one of Swami’s line calls, but after reviewing the shot by Raonic through the sport’s hawk-eye technology, Swami’s call stood, he said.
Swami said he hopes to be selected for more regional international tennis tournaments and to one day earn the certification needed to be a tournament chair umpire. At the moment, the 2013 Guam Futures tennis tournament is next on his calendar as a tennis official following the Australian Open. He will return to lead all volunteer local tennis officials in the tournament, scheduled for June 1-9 this year at the Hilton Guam Resort & Spa tennis courts.


GPS Sports Calendar
January 2023
- SU
- MO
- TU
- WE
- TH
- FR
- SA
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
Events for December
31st
Events for January
1st
Events for January
2nd
Events for January
3rd
Events for January
4th
Events for January
5th
Events for January
6th
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
Events for January
7th
Events for January
8th
Events for January
9th
Events for January
10th
Events for January
11th
Events for January
12th
Events for January
14th
Events for January
15th
Events for January
16th
Events for January
17th
Events for January
20th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
TRITONS BASEBALL INVITATIONAL
Events for January
21st
LIFT HEAVY + LIFT FAST – BFF SERIES
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
Events for January
23rd
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
Events for January
24th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
Events for January
25th
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for January
26th
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
Events for January
27th
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
GLORIFIED SPARRING X
TRITONS BASEBALL INVITATIONAL
Events for January
28th
5K DASH FOR ASH
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
Events for January
29th
MONSTER ENERGY MOTOCROSS ROUND 1
TRITONS BASEBALL INVITATIONAL
Events for January
30th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for January
31st
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL

Running/Track
’23 TRACK SEASON OPENS

Running/Track
’23 TRACK SEASON OPENS

Basketball
TAKUMI SIMON MAKING THE BEST OF PRO LIFE

Volleyball
H.S. BEACH VOLLEYBALL IN FULL SWING
COMING SOON …
- 3rd Quarter Sports