More than a hundred alumni of Universitas Gadjah Mada from various regions participated in the 2024 Kagama Cup XVII Lawn Tennis Tournament, held on Oct. 5-6 at UGM’s Tennis Courts.
This tournament is an annual event to celebrate UGM’s anniversary while strengthening the bonds of friendship among alumni who share a passion for lawn tennis.
UGM alumni from different regions attended the event, including Maurits Albert Paath from Papua, an alumnus of UGM’s Master of Electric Energy Systems program.
According to Paath, the most important aspect of the Kagama Cup is camaraderie, and alumni should take advantage of this rare opportunity to gather and share stories.
“The key is the togetherness. We play, meet, and share stories—those matter most,” said Paath on Saturday (Oct. 5).
UGM Vice-Rector for Student Affairs, Community Service, and Alumni Dr. Arie Sujito warmly welcomed the tennis tournament, which aims to strengthen alumni friendships while promoting physical health.
“The Kagama Cup is a way to maintain friendships, stay healthy, and foster unity,” Dr. Sujito concluded.
Dr. Wikan Sakarinto, the Kagama Cup organizing committee chair, explained that the primary challenge in preparing for the annual tournament is securing funding and sponsorship.
Another potential challenge is the weather. The Kagama Cup is usually held close to UGM’s anniversary, which falls during the rainy season, increasing the likelihood of rain during the event.
“The challenges are sponsorship and funding. We manage to sort it out every year, but it’s not an easy task. The challenge during the event is the possibility of rain since it’s close to the anniversary, which typically falls in October,” Dr. Sakarinto said.
The Kagama Cup tennis tournament was officially opened by former UGM Rector Professor Panut Mulyono and UGM Vice-Rector Dr. Arie Sujito, who symbolically hit tennis balls toward the participants across the net.
Participants who caught the balls received special gifts from the committee and sponsors.
The two-day tournament featured competitions in three categories: senior doubles for participants with a combined age of at least 85, men’s veteran doubles for participants aged 55 and older, and men’s veteran doubles for participants aged 65 and older.
Winners in each category received medals and development funds as prizes.
Author: Hanif
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Afif