Sports Bulletin

Sports Bulletin ReportLAHORE: Asad Zaman (Ali Embroidery Mills), Amir Mazari (Aitchison), Mohammad Salaar, and Kashan Tariq qualified for the boys Under-18 semifinals of the Parents Tennis Lovers Association (PTLA)-organized Junior National Tennis Championship 2024 here at Punjab Tennis Academy, Bagh-e-Jinnah on Wednesday.In the boys U-18 quarterfinals: Asad Zaman (Pakistan Navy), beat Nabeel Qayum 6-1, 6-0, Amir Mazari beat Mohammad Yahya 6-2, 6-1, Mohammad Salaar beat Sheheryar Anees 7-6, 2-6, 6-2 and Kashan Tariq beat Abdullah Pirzada 7-5, 6-2. In the boys U-16 quarterfinals: Ruhab Faisal beat Abdur Rehman 6-0, 3-6, 6-3, Aalay Hussain beat Hanzla Anwar 6-0, 6-1, Amir Mazari beat Mohammad Huzaima 6-0, 6-1 and Mohammad Yahya beat Abdullah Pirzada 6-2, 6-3. In the boys U-14 pre-quarterfinals: Abdur Rehman beat M Ayan Khan 4-2, 4-2, Awais Zia beat Ahmad Khuda Bakhsh 2-4, 4-2, 4-2, Zayd Zaman beat M Umer Ali 4-0, 4-2, Mohammad Junaid beat Zayd Mansoor 4-2, 5-3, Mohammad Huzaima beat Aliyan Ali 4-2, 4-2. In the boys/girls U-12 pre-quarterfinals: Rashid Ali Bachani beat Umer Zaman, Mustafa Uzair Rana beat M Ibrahesm Hussain Gill, Muaz Shahbaz beat M Ayan Khan 4-2, 4-1, Zayd Zaman beat Daniyal Abdullah 4-0, 4-0, Mohammad Junaid beat Zayd Mansoor 4-2, 4-2, Majid Ali Bachani beat Taha Asad 4-0, 4-0 and Ayan Shahbaz beat M Turab Bhatti 4-0, 4-0. In the seniors 40 plus doubles, Round-1: Waqar Nisar/Jamil Akhtar beat Syed Sajid Ali Bukhari/Khalil Chaudhary 8-0, Mahir Nisar/Tariq Sadiq beat Adnan Khan/Saleem Azmat Khan 8-0, Khurram Imtiaz/Sheheryar Salamat beat Col Atif/Qadir Nawaz 8-0 and Mehboob Waheed/Mohammad Yousaf beat Ali Qayum/Waheed 8-3.

Mohammad Shoaib overcomes veteran Aqeel Khan 2-1 in final, Sarah wins Ladies’ titleSports Bulletin ReportWah Cantt (Rawalpindi): The Pakistan No.1 tennis player, Mohammad Shoaib has won the title of the Chairman POF Board National Tennis Championship after beating veteran Aqeel Khan 2-1 in the final here at POF Tennis Complex on Saturday. The final score-line was 6-4, 4-6, and 6-4.Results (finals):Men’s Singles: Mohammad Shoaib beat Aqqel Khan (2-1) 6-4, 4-6, 6-4Girls’ U18 Singles: Soha Ali beat Lalala Rukh Sajid (2-0) 6-1, 6-1Ladies Singles: Sara Mehboob beat Sheeza Sajid (2-0) 6-4, 6-3Boys’ U18 Singles: Hamza Roman beat Hamid Israr (2-0) 6-3, 6-2Boys’ U14 Singles: Hassan Usmani beat Shayan Afridi (2-0) 6-1, 6-2Seniors 45+ Doubles: Talha Waheed & Israr Gul beat Mohammad Amin & Rashid Ali (2-0) 6-2, 6-2 

Aqeel Khan and Mohammad Shaoib reach in the Men’s Singles finalSports Bulletin ReportWah Cantt (Rawalpindi): Top seeding player Aqeel Khan and Mohammad Shaoib qualified for the Men’s Singles final of the Chairman POF Board, National Ranking Tennis Championship after beating their respective rivals in semifinal here at POF Tennis Complex on Friday. The final will be played on Saturday at the same venue. Hassan won the Under-14 Boys’ Singles title.Results (finals):Girls’ U18 Singles: Soha Ali beat Lalala Rukh Sajid 6-1, 6-1Ladies Singles: Sara Mehboob beat Sheeza Sajid 6-4, 6-3Boys’ U18 Singles: Hamza Roman beat Hamid Israr 6-3, 6-2Boys’ U14 Singles: Hassan Usmani beat Shayan Afridi 6-1, 6-2Seniors 45+ Doubles: Talha Waheed & Israr Gul beat Mohammad Amin & Rashid Ali with 6-2, 6-2Men’s Single (Semifinals):Aqeel Khan beat Mohammad Abid 7-5, 6-3Mohammad Shoaib beat Yousaf Khalil 6-2, 6-3

Sports Bulletin ReportWah Cantt (Rawalpindi): Top seed Aqeel Khan stunned 4th Hamza 2-0 in straight sets in a men’s singles match of the 4th Chairman POF Board, National Ranking Tennis Tournament at POF Tennis Complex on Thursday.On the fourth day of the tournament, in Men's Single Category top seed Aqeel Khan defeated Hamza Roman with the score-line of 6-0, 6-1. Mohammad Shoaib beat Barkat Ullah at 6-3, 6-2. Yousaf Khalil beat Muzammil Murtaza with 6-2, 6-1. Mohammad Abid beat Abdullah Adnan with 6-1, 6-1. In Boys under 18 category, Mohammad Faizan defeated Ehsan Bari with 4-1, 4-1 while Hamza Roman beat Mohammad Salar with 6-4, 7-5. In the girls Under 18 category, Soha Ali overcame Sheeza Sajid with the score-line of 0-6, 6-2, and 6-4 while Lalarukh Sajid defeated Mahrukh Sajid with 6-4, 7-6 (4).

Sports Bulletin Report Wah Cantt (Rawalpindi): Yousaf Khalil, Abdullah Adnan, Hamza Roman, Muzamil Murtaza, Mohammad Abid, Mohammad Shoaib, Barkat Ullah, and Aqeel Khan have won their respective matches on the third day of the Men’s Singles Event of the 4th Chairman POF Board, National Ranking Tennis Tournament is being played at POF Tennis Complex on Wednesday.Men’s Singles:Yousaf Khalil beat Saqib Hayat 7-6 (2), 6-2Abdullah Adnan beat Zalan Khan 6-1, 7-5Hamza Roman beat Hamid Israr 6-2, 6-1Muzamil Murtaza beat Nalain Abbas 6-1, 6-3Mohammad Abid beat Sami Zeb Khan 7-5, 6-0Mohammad Shoaib beat Shahzad Khan 6-3, 6-3Barkat Ullah beat Jibran Ul Haq 6-0, 6-1Aqeel Khan beat Heera Ashiq 6-4, 6-4Boys’ U18 Singles:Asad Zaman beat Sheryar Anees 6-4, 6-1Hamid Israr beat Mohammad Yahya 6-0, 6-3Mohammad Salar beat Inam Qadir 6-3, 6-4.

Hameed ul Haq The Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) Elections, held on February 10, 2024, for the post of President, Secretary, and Treasurer were tainted by a strong controversy right from the start due to a questioned vote. The elections were held, after an inordinate delay of over a year beyond the expiry of the term of the incumbent federation, who desired to prolong its stay for as long as possible.The Elections featured two panels, one led by Major General Asghar Nawaz (Retd) and another by Aisam ul Haq. The election yielded a split result with the panel of the former winning two important slots of Secretary General and Treasurer while Aisam ul Haq could barely secure the slot of President with a narrow margin of one vote, which is considered disputed. The Chief Election Commissioner, Mr Shakeel Durrani, former Chairman WAPDA presided over the election process and faced a predicament when a candidate raised a serious objection challenging the eligibility of the vote of International Lawn Tennis Club (ILTC) Pakistan, an associate member unit of PTF. The objections were raised in the light of the PTF Constitution and it was pointed out that ILTC having defaulted in payment of dues of PTF for the last five years falls into the status of “expelled member” and hence loses the right to vote. The more serious amongst the other objections pertained to violation of Article 21 of said Constitutions according to which only the President of an associate member of PTF or his authorized representative can cast the vote. The President of ILTC passed away in March 2021, and with no President elected an aged Secretary of ILTC who is been ridden since long authorized, illegally, a representative to cast the vote in Elections which is considered a flagrant violation of the PTF Constitution.The Chief Election Commissioner, after duly acknowledging the objections to be genuine allowed the elections process to continue with the proviso that the objections would later be addressed through established rules and forms, as per the PTF Constitution, in a specially called General Meeting of PTF Council, within ten days.He made it clear that the voting results may alter or elections may be held again if the contested vote is found illegal as per the PTF Constitution. Another surprising aspect was that the observer representative of POA, the parent body of the Country’s sports federations, was kept out of the crucial first phase of the election proceedings when these objections were discussed with the Chief Election Commissioner.The vote of ILTC assumes significance because it openly nominated and expressed its support for the Panel led by the Aisam ul Haq and if the vote gets void, besides of embarrassment caused, the votes for President PTF will become equal and a tie will occur. The PTF’s outgoing Management, with an obvious bias, has also tried to give a twist to the matter by the incorrect recording of the Chief Elections Commissioner’s decisions in Minutes of Elections, issued on 17 February 2024 which has been promptly noticed by all stakeholders.Considering the past performance of the previous PTF set-up where no fresh crop of internationally competitive players was prepared resulting in a 4-0 drubbing of Pakistan’s Davis at the hands of an Indian Davis Cup team at Islamabad, there is a requirement that fairness, professionalism and merit is promoted in the tennis affairs. The holding of elections marred with illegalities and controversies bodes ill for the future of the game. Pakistan Olympics Association and the relevant stakeholders must step in to ensure that the election process of PTF is subjected to fair play, legality, and fairness, in the absence of which the entire edifice of tennis promotion and player development will remain elusive.(Editor Note: The writer is a former tennis player and achieved many titles for the country. If someone wants to give his point of view about this article Sports Bulletin will welcome, and publish that)  

Sports Bulletin ReportLAHORE: Muzamil Murtaza claimed two titles of the RLK Group Punjab Open Tennis Championship 2024 that concluded on a high note at the Punjab Tennis Academy, Bagh-e-Jinnah Lahore on Wednesday.Muzamil Murtaza showcased his supremacy on the court by first securing victory in the men's singles final against M Abid with scores of 6-4, 7-6. He didn't stop there; teaming up with Abdullah Adnan, Muzamil also triumphed in the men's doubles final, overcoming the duo of M Abid and Waqas Malik with a 6-3, 7-5 victory. "Winning not just one, but two titles at this championship feels surreal. It's a testament to the hard work and dedication we have put in," Murtaza expressed post-victory. The championship also saw Shimza Durab clinching the ladies' singles title by defeating Bismel Zia with a convincing 6-3, 6-1 in the final, showcasing her prowess on the court. The seniors' categories were equally competitive, with notable victories from Talha Waheed (GO Pakistan) and Arif Feroze in the doubles 45 plus category, and seniors champion Rashid Malik demonstrating his undiminished skill in the seniors 50 plus singles, outwitting Fayyaz Khan by 6-1, 6-1. The seniors 60 plus doubles title was claimed by Brig Ghazanfar/Waqar Nisar, who outshone Maj Saeed/Mubeen Malik 6-2, 6-1. In the boys/girls U-14 final, Abdur Rehman beat Huzaima 6-0. In the boys/girls U-12 final, Muaz Shahbaz beat Ohad e Mustafa 6-2 while the boys/girls U-10 title was lifted by Ayan Shahbaz, who thrashed Ehsan Bari 6-1. The concluding ceremony was graced by Dr. Rashid Latif Khan, Chairman of the RLK Group, as the chief guest, with Hasan Said, Director of RLSB, serving as the guest of honor. Hasan Said played a pivotal role in the tournament's successful organization. "Our commitment to tennis is unwavering. We aim not just to host tournaments but to nurture young talent, helping them bring glory to our nation," Dr. Khan remarked during the prize distribution ceremony. PLTA Secretary Rashid Malik extended his gratitude towards the RLK Group for their all-out support. "Their sponsorship and support have been invaluable. It is our collective hope to make this championship a cornerstone of Pakistan's tennis calendar," Malik stated. The tournament, celebrated for its competitive spirit and high professional standards, not only provided a platform for showcasing talent but also reaffirmed the commitment of the RLK Group and the PLTA towards the development of tennis in Pakistan.

Abdul Jabbar FaisalISLAMABAD: Young tennis girl Zainab Ali Naqvi (17) from Karachi passed away on Tuesday, who was here to participate in the ITF Pakistan Khawar Hyat Khan Memorial World Junior Championship Leg-1 at PTF SDA Tennis Complex, Garden Avenue Islamabad, at a local Guest House due to cardiac arrest.According to an official of the Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF), Zainab Ali Naqvi- a young tennis player who had come to Islamabad from Karachi to participate in the ITF Juniors Tournaments, passed away last night on 12th February 2024 in Islamabad.Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi President-PTF, Senator Salim Saifullah Khan, Ex-President-PTF, PTF Council members, and the tennis fraternity at large offer their heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family. May Allah bless the departed soul with eternal peace in Jannah-ul-Firdaus, Aameen.The matches of the ITF Juniors were postponed as a mark of respect in memory of Miss Zainab and will be played on Wednesday with the same schedule. A Joint DUA was offered and one minute silence was observed by all the foreign and Pakistani players, parents, coaches, and the PTF Officials and staff.

Sports Bulletin ReportISLAMABAD: Top seed, Mohammad Shoaib thrashed second seed Aqeel Khan in straight sets 2-0 in the Men’s Singles final of the 36th Federal Cup National Ranking Tennis Championships that concluded here at PTF-SDA Tennis Complex on Sunday. The final score-line was 6-2, 6-4.In the Men’s Singles final, 22-year-old top seed Mohammad Shoaib of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) outclassed Aqeel Khan 2-0 after the lasted 1 hour 18 minutes on the court. Shoaib got off to a flying start, taking a 4-2 lead by breaking the first game of Aqeel Khan and kept the same pressure to win the first set at 6-2.In the second set, Aqeel fought back but young Shoaib did not allow Aqeel to settle down and exhibited excellent tennis from the base-line and broke the 7th game of Aqeel to build up the winning streak 4-3 in which Aqeel hit a double fault. Shaoib continued the same pressure and in the 10th game, he hit strong serve game and won the set by hitting ace and clinched the Men’s Singles title at 6-2 6-4.Earlier in the day, the Ladies’ Singles Sarah Mahboob clinched the title by eliminating up-comping youngster Amna Ali Qayum from Islamabad in a well-fought straight sets final. Sarah won the toss and chose to serve. Both the players exhibited excellent game of tennis down the line and cross-court, Sarah took the lead 5-4 and broke the 10th game of Amna and won the set at 6-4.In the second set both the players again played the marvelous game of tennis with the combination of excellent cross-court and down the lines. Sarah took the lead of 5-3 by breaking the 8th game of Aman, but Aman fought back bravely and managed to level the score 5 games all by breaking the 9th game of Sarah. In the 11th game, Sarah took the serve advance and again developed the winning lead 6-5. In the 12th game, Aman was unable to maintain her confidence and hit two double faults. Sarah took the advantage and comfortably broke the game and won the set and match at 6-4 7-5. Sayyed Mubasshar Tauqir Shah Addl. Secretary, Information and Managing Director PTV unable to come to witness the final due to an emergent official engagement at Ministry. Usama Azhar Director Sport PTV and Majid Bashir Senior Executive Vice President of Islamabad Tennis Association graced the occasion as guest of honor and distributed the prizes amongst the winners and runners-up.Results (finals):Men’s Singles: Mohammad Shoaib beat Aqeel Khan 6-2, 6-4Ladies’ Singles: Sarah Mahboob Khan beat Amna Ali Qayum 6-4, 7-5Boys & Girls U10 Singles: Mohammad Arsh beat Mohammad Faizan 4-2, 4-1Men’s Doubles: Mohammad Shoaib / Muzammil Murtaza beat Yousaf Khalil / Barkatullah 4-6, 7-6 (2), 10-6.Boys’ U18 Singles: Hamza Roman beat Hamid Israr 7-5, 6-3Boys’ U14 Singles: Mohammad Hassan Usmani beat Zohaib Afzal Malik 7-6 (3), 6-2.

Sarah and Aman reach in Ladies final, Mohammad Shoaib to face Aqeel in Men’s finalSports Bulletin ReportISLAMABAD: Pakistan top national tennis lad Mohammad Shoaib pairing with Muzammil Murtaza clinched the Men’s Double title of the 36th Federal Cup National Ranking Tennis Championships after beating Yousaf Khalil, and Barkatullah in a three set thrilling final here at PTF-SDA Tennis Complex Garden Avenue on Saturday. The final score-line was 4-6, 7-6 (2), and 10-6. Seed Hamza won U18 title.Top seed Mohammad Shoaib will face 2nd Seed Aqeel Khan in the Men’s Singles final on Sunday afternoon at the same venue. Top seed Sarah Mahboob Khan and Aman Ali Qayum qualified for the Ladies’ final after beating their respective opponents in well-contested semifinals.In the first semifinal, top seed Sarah Mahboob Khan struggled hard to win her match against upcoming Natalia Zaman from Karachi in a three-set match. Talented Natalia Zaman proved her worth against Sarah Mahboob and won the first set at 6-4 by breaking the 5th game of Sarah and taking the lead 1-0.In the 2nd set, Sarah bounced back aggressively and gained his strength according to experience and leveled the match 1-1 set all. In the final set Sarah Khan kept the same pressure and did not allow her opponent to settle down and won the set without conceding a single game and match at score line of 4-6, 6-2, and 6-3. The match lasted 1 hour 45 minutes. The best encounter of the day was played in Men’s Doubles Final when 2nd seed Mohammad Shoaib paring with Muzammil Murtaza struggled hard to win the title against top seed Yousaf Khalil parting with Barkatullah with score of 4-6, 7-6 (2), 10-6.Results (Saturday)Men’s Singles (Semifinals):Aqeel Khan beat Mudassar Murtaza 6-1, 6-1Mohammad Shaoib beat Muzammil Murtaza 6-1, 6-0Men’s Doubles (Final):Mohammad Shoaib / Muzammil Murtaza beat Yousaf Khalil / Barkatullah 4-6, 7-6 (2), 10-6.Ladies’ Singles (Semifinals):Sarah Mahboob Khan beat Natalia Zaman 4-6, 6-3, 6-0Amna Ali Qayum beat Sheeza Sajid 6-3, 6-1.Boys’ U18 Singles (Final):Hamza Roman beat Hamid Israr 7-5, 6-3Boys’ U14 Singles (Final):Mohammad Hassan Usmani beat Zohaib Afzal Malik 7-6 (3), 6-2.Boys’ U14 Singles (Semifinals):Mohammad Arsh beat Mohammad Ibrahim Hussain Gill 4-2, 4-2Amir Masood beat Mohammad Faizan 4-0, 4-0.