Tennis - Sport bulletin

Tennis

TENNIS - Wheelchair 13 Mar, 2023

Wheelchair Tennis player, Asif Abbasi earns another honour for Pakistan

Abdul Jabbar Faisal ISLAMABAD: Pakistan number one wheelchair tennis player, Asif Gul Abbasi created another history by winning the "Lee Valley Wheelchair Tennis Tournament" in London, as Abbasi displayed great skill and determination throughout the tournament, beating their hard-hitting opponents to earn himself a place in the "Play Your Way to Wimbledon" National finals in August, which will be held on the iconic grass courts of Wimbledon. Despite carrying a shoulder injury from previous tournaments, Abbasi showed no signs of slowing down and played some outstanding tennis to secure his victory in the tournament. He was the top seed in the tournament and won the final with the score-line by 7-6 (6) and 6-1. The "Play Your Way to Wimbledon" initiative, which is a joint venture between the LTA and Vodafone, is aimed at giving national wheelchair tennis players the opportunity to compete in the National finals at Wimbledon. There are three qualifying tournaments, namely Lee Valley, Grantham, and Loughborough University wheelchair tennis tournaments, and the finalists from these tournaments will be competing in the finals at Wimbledon. Abbasi and the other finalists have now qualified for the national finals at Wimbledon, which is a significant achievement and a proud moment for the Pakistani tennis community. The fact that Abbasi was able to overcome his injury and still play at such a high level is a testament to his skill and dedication. In a statement, Abbasi expressed his joy and excitement at the prospect of playing at Wimbledon. He said, "This is a dream come true for me. I have always wanted to play on the grass courts of Wimbledon, and now that I have the opportunity to do so, I will give it my all and make Pakistan proud." The Pakistani tennis community has rallied behind Abbasi, congratulating him on his victory and wishing him the best of luck for the national finals at Wimbledon. This achievement by Abbasi is not only a personal triumph but also a symbol of hope and inspiration for disabled athletes.

TENNIS - National 13 Mar, 2023

Aqeel Khan crushes out Ahtesham Arif 2-0 in Invitational Tennis Tournament

Sports Bulletin Report LAHORE: Top seed Aqeel Khan crushed out Ahtesham Arif 2-0 in the first round of Men’s Singles of the All Pakistan National Invitational Tennis Tournament, which started in Lahore on Monday. The secretary Punjab Lawn Tennis Association (PLTA) Rashid Malik formally inaugurated the tournament. A total of 30 matches were played on the first day of the championship. All the top players advanced to the second round with comfortable victories and a high-standard of tennis was witnessed during some of the matches. Results: Men’s Singles (Round-I): Aqeel Khan beat Ahtesham Arif 6-1, 6-1, Davis Cupper Shehzad Khan beat Rai Asim Zafar 6-1, 6-2, Nalain Abbas beat Col Atif 6-2, 6-3, Mudassar Murtaza beat Mahatir Muhammad 6-2, 6-0, Ahmad Babar beat Mohammad Talha Khan 6-0, 6-0, Hamid Israr beat Sikandar Hayat 6-3, 6-3, Semi Zeb Khan beat Fayyaz Khan 6-2, 6-3, Heera Ashiq beat Saqib Hayat 6-0, 6-3, Mohammad Salaar beat Faizan Fayyaz 6-3, 4-6, 7-6, Yousaf Khalil beat Kamran Khan 6-1, 6-1, Ahmad Nael Qureshi beat Asadullah 6-2, 6-2, Imran Bhatti (Gymkhana) beat Abdul Hanan Khan 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, Mohammad Shoaib beat Bilal Asim 6-4, 6-1. Boys’ Under-16 (Round-I): Hafiz Hussain beat Hafiz Hassan 6-4, 4-6, 12-10, Yousaf Manoo beat Mohammad Hameed 6-1, 6-3, Abubakar Khalil beat Mustafa Zaidi 6-2, 6-2, Hamza Ali Rizwan beat Ismail Ahmad 6-2, 6-3, Aalay Husnain beat Moavia Butt 0-6, 7-5, 12-10.

TENNIS - ITF Juniors 07 Mar, 2023

Tennis Federation names U-14 team for ITF Asian Juniors Championship

Sports Bulletin Report ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) has named a 2-member team namely Hamza Roman and Abubakar Talha to participate in finals of ITF Asia Under-14 Development Championships 2023, which will be held in Bhubaneshwar India from April 4-14, 2023. According to an official of PTF, the players were selected based on their exceptional performance in the ITF/ATF Under-14 Development Championships Regional Qualifying event for South Asia/South East Asia & East Asia Regional Qualifying event, which was recently held in Bangladesh. The boys won one single title out of two each and were finalists in the other, and they won both the doubles titles.

TENNIS - Wheelchair 02 Mar, 2023

BNP Paribas ITF wheelchair tennis: Sri Lanka beat Pakistan 3-0

Sports Bulletin Report Pattaya (Thailand): Sri Lanka wheelchair tennis team beat Pakistan 3-0 in the BNP Paribas ITF wheelchair tennis world cup qualifier at Pattaya Thailand on the 2nd day of competition. Results (Sri Lanka beat Pakistan) 3-0 Kumara KGM Parderp beat Fida Hussain 6-0, 6-0 Dissanayake Gamini beat Asif Abbasi 6-2, 6-3 Dharmasena Suresh & Dissanayake Gamini beat Mohammad Ayub and Asif Abbasi 6-0, 6-0

TENNIS - Local News 02 Mar, 2023

Tennis Lovers Championship 2023: Asad, Ahtesham in semifinals

Sports Bulletin Report LAHORE: Asad Zaman, Ahtesham Humayun, Hamid Israr, and Mohammad Salaar have reached in the semifinals of the 4th Tennis Lovers Junior National Tennis Championship after winning their respective boys Under-18 singles quarterfinals played here at Punjab Tennis Academy, Bagh-e-Jinnah on Thursday. Results: Boys’ Under-18 (Quarterfinals): Asad Zaman (Ali Embroidery Mills) beat Shahzaib Zahid 6-2, 6-2, Ahtesham Humayun beat Arman Kamran 6-4, 6-4, Hamid Israr beat Yafat Nadeem 6-2, 6-0 and M Salaar beat Hamza Ali Rizwan 6-3, 6-0. Boys’ Under-14 (Quarterfinals): Amir Mazari (Aitchison) beat Aryan Hassan 4-0, 4-0, Hamza Ali Rizwan beat Haziq Areejo 4-0, 4-0, Nabeel Ali Qayum beat Ismail Aftab 2-4, 4-0, 4-0 and Abubakar Talha beat M Umer Ali 3-0 (rtd). Boys/Girls Undr-12 (Quarterfinals): Abdur Rehman (SICAS) beat Mohammad Umer Ali 4-0, 4-1, Hajra Suhail (SICAS) beat Bismel Zia 2-4, 4-2, 4-2 and Rashid Ali Bachani beat Junaid Khan 4-1, 5-3. Boys/Girls Under-10 (Quarterfinals): Rashid Ali Bachani beat Hassan Alam 4-2, 4-0, Mohammad Ibraheem Hussain Gill beat Shahzaib Faisal 4-1, 5-3 and Mohammad Ehsan Bari beat Ali Saqib 5-3, 4-1.

TENNIS - Wheelchair 01 Mar, 2023

Asia Oceania Qualification: Australia beat Pakistan 3-0

Sports Bulletin Report Pattaya (Thailand): Heavyweight Australia wheelchair tennis team outclassed low-ranked Pakistan 3-0 in the first Pool match of the BNP Paribas World Team Cup Asia Oceania Qualification competitions that started at Pattaya Thailand. In the first single, Pakistani lad Fida Hussain lost to Parker Anderson, who is currently world number 24 in ITF wheelchair tennis rankings. In straight sets 2-0, as the final score-line was just 6-0 and 6-1. Later, in the second single, world number 29 Week Benn defeated Pakistan No.1 Asif Abbasi in a similar style 2-0. Asif, who beat Indian players last year in Turkiye, failed to win even a single game. He could not join the practice session before the crucial contest against Australia owing to missing his equipment. In the Double, a duo of Australian wheelchair tennis players, Parker Anderson and Dunn Martyn beat Asif Gul Abbasi / Fida Hussain with the score-line of 6-0 and 6-0. Results (Australia beat Pakistan 3-0): Parker Anderson beat Fida Hissain 6-0, 6-1 Weeks Benn beat Asif Gul Abbasi 6-0, 6-0 Parker Anderson / Dunn Martyn beat Asif Gul Abbasi / Fida Hussain 6-0, 6-0

TENNIS - Int News 27 Feb, 2023

Asif Abbasi misses the practice session before big games

Abdul Jabbar Faisal ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s number one wheelchair tennis player, Asif Gull Abbasi missed the practice session, as Thai Airlines left his equipment at Heathrow Airport London due to mismanagement of the airline crew. Asif Abbasi told this reporter from Thailand: “At Heathrow the airport a flight supervisor asked me to wrap it and follow her instructions and did that carefully. Then she assured me that they would take responsibility for any damage, and you have to sign that this is my responsibility if damage occurs to my wheelchair. I had a little argument with her that if you don't take responsibility then who is going to be responsible? She was very rude and said: You will miss your flight and you must write under limited responsibility and I reluctantly signed”. “I have nothing with me. I missed my training today and tomorrow morning I have to play my world team Cup qualifying matches against Australia, and Sri Lanka best teams in the world. I am not sure, I will receive my stuff before my match, and it will be safely returned to me. Still waiting for that, as they said the luggage will arrive in the next flight and they will contact me and deliver to the hotel.

TENNIS - Wheelchair 27 Feb, 2023

Pakistan to participate in World Team Cup Qualification competitions

Sports Bulletin Report Pattaya (Thailand): Pakistan wheelchair tennis team comprising Asif Gul Abbasi, Fida Hussain, and Mohammad Ayub Khan along with a non-playing captain-cum-coach Mohammad Khalid Rehmani arrived at Pattaya Greta Sports Club to take part in BNP Paribas World Team Cup Asia/ Oceania Qualification competitions. As many as 8 teams from the region including Australia, China, Pakistan, India, Iraq, Korea, Sri Lanka, and host Thailand will fight for the top position, as the topper will join world teams of all regions for the final, which will take place later this year 2023 at United States of America (USA) It is pertinent to mention here that Green Shirts first time participated in this ITF wheelchair event in Antalya Turkey last year and secured 4th position in Asia, as Pakistan had defeated arch-rival India the first time in the history of tennis. Ace national wheelchair tennis lad, Asif Gul Abbasi played in ITF world Rankings tournament last week in the United Kingdom (UK) and reached the Men's Singles final and Men’s Doubles semifinal. Abbasi has been spotted at the 280 position in the World Ranking.

TENNIS - Wheelchair 26 Feb, 2023

ITF 2 Wheelchair Tennis Tournament: Asif Abbasi spots in final

Sports Bulletin Report Bolton (UK): Pakistan's number one wheelchair tennis player, Asif Gul Abbasi put another feather in his cap after qualifying for the final of the ITF-II a second draw tournament that was held in Bolton, United Kingdom (UK). He made a mark in the wheelchair tennis history of Pakistan after beating a higher-ranked and top-seed player in the tournament. ITF-II a second draw tournament started on Monday and top wheelchair tennis players from around the world took part in the event. Despite facing tough competition, Abbasi showed remarkable grit and determination throughout the tournament, winning crucial matches to advance to the final. In the semi-finals, Abbasi faced the top-seeded player in the tournament, who was ranked much higher than him. However, Abbasi was not intimidated and played some outstanding tennis to secure a nerve-jangling victory in three sets contest. Asif Abbasi said in his post-match comments: "I am extremely happy to reach the final of a prestigious wheelchair tennis fixture. It was an uphill task for me but I toiled hard on the court and I was confident about producing a notable performance. I was eager and well geared-up to show notable performance against a higher-ranked tennis lad to prove that I am among the best players of the world."

TENNIS - National Juniors 25 Feb, 2023

Hamid wins All Pakistan Sports Board National Ranking Junior title

Sports Bulletin Report ISLAMABAD: Hamid Israr outplayed Mohammad Hamza Aasim 2-0 in the Under-18 Singles final of the All Pakistan PSB National Ranking Junior Tennis Tournament that concluded at PTF-SDA Tennis Complex Islamabad on Saturday. Ehsan-ur-Rehman Mazari Federal Minister for IPC was the chief guest at the closing Ceremony. He distributed the prizes amongst the winners and runner-ups and congratulated all the winners and rrunner-ups. Results (finals): Boys’ Under-18 Singles: Hamid Israr beat Mohammad Hamza Aasim 6-4, 6-3 Boys’ Under-18 Doubles: Hamid Israr / Hamza Roman beat Huzaima Abdul Rehman/ Ahmed Nael Qureshi 6-3, 6-4 Girls’ Under-18 Singles: Amna Ali Qayum beat Sheeza Sajid 6-1, 6-2 Boys’ Under-1 Singles: Hamza Roman beat Asad Zaman 6-3, 1-0 (retd) Boys’ Under-14 Singles: Abubakar Talha beat Amir Mazari 6-1, 6-2 Boys’ Under-14 Doubles: Amir Mazari / Abubakar Talha beat Zohaib Afzal Malik/ Hamza Roman 4-6, 6-4 (12-10) Boys’ Under-12 Singles: Shayan Afridi beat Razik Sultan 3-5, 4-0, 5-3 Boys’ Under-12 Doubles: Shayan Afridi / Mohammad Faizan beat Ibrahim Gill / Ahsan Bari 4-2, 4-0