Sports Bulletin Report
LAHORE:-Bilal Asim, Omer Jawad and Amna Ali Qayyum clinched the two crowns each in their respective categories of the Junior National Tennis Championship 2022 that concluded here at the Punjab Tennis Academy, Bagh-e-Jinnah on Friday.
In the Boys Under-18 final, Bilal Asim played well against Mahatir Mohammad and outsmarted him 6-1, 6-2 to clinch his first title and then doubled his crowns, when he edged out Ahtesham Humayun by 6-7, 6-4, 6-0 in the Boys’ U-16 final. Speaking on the occasion, Bilal, who will represent Pakistan in Junior Davis Cup in India next month, said: “I am grateful to my parents and especially my coach and mentor Rashid Malik (SBP Head Coach), as his guidance and coaching made me physically and mentally very tough and strong and helped me win entire national titles this year and the previous years as well. He, in fact, has made me an international player now. I hope under his guidance, I will also deliver during the Junior Davis Cup and will try to win laurels for Pakistan.”
Young Omer Jawad also completed the brace of his titles when he first lifted the boys U-12 title by beating Hamza Ali Rizwan 7-5, 7-5 and then doubled his titles after edging out Hamza Ali Rizwan 6-7, 6-1, 10-0 in the boys U-14 final. Amna Ali Qayum also claimed the two crowns, as first she defeated spirited Sheeza Sajid 6-0, 4-6, 6-1 in the girls U-18 final and then she thrashed young Fajar Fayyaz 4-0, 4-0 in the girls U-14 final.
Rising star Abubakar Talha of Wapda also won two crowns as first he, partnering with Hamza Ali Rizwan, grabbed the boys U-14 doubles title after outpacing Amir Mazari and Abdur Rehman 4-1, 4-1 and then he, partnering with Zohaib Afzal Malik of SA Gardens, doubled his crowns by beating the talented duo of Omer Jawad and Ismail Aftab 1-4, 4-0, 10-4.
In the Boys U-18 doubles final, Husnain Ali Rizwan and Haider Ali Rizwan played well against Farman Shakeel and Hassan Ali and outsmarted them by 6-3, 6-1. In the girls U-12 final, Hajra Sohail of AAA Associates, and a brilliant student of SICAS, beat Fajar Fayyaz 4-2, 4-2. In the boys/girls U-10 final, M Shayan Afridi beat Hajra Suhail 4-1, 4-0.
In the seniors 50 plus doubles, SBP’s Head Coach Rashid Malik and Fayyaz Khan beat Arif Feroze/Humayun Pervaiz 6-2, 6-1. In the seniors 40 plus doubles, Wapda’s Arif Feroze/Fayyaz Khan beat Talha Waheed(GO Pakistan)/Ashar Ali Khan 6-1, 5-7, 10-5. In the boys/girls U-8 category, Ehsan Bari grabbed gold medal, Ibrahim Dawood silver medal and Aiman Rehan bronze medal. In the boys/girls U-6 category, Soha Ali clinched the gold medal, Mamnoon Bari silver medal and Ali Babar bronze medal.
PLTA Secretary Rashid Malik was the chief guest at the prize distribution ceremony while the guests of honour were Naeem Rahim, Nosheen Ihtesham and Zulaikha Nisar. Other prominent ones present on the occasion were former PTF SVP Col (R) Asif Dar, former international hockey player Naseem Ahmad, players and their families and tennis players.
Rashid Malik also thanked CEO Servis Tyres Pvt Ltd Arif Saeed for sponsoring the event and hoped that he would continue his support for the development and promotion of the game at grassroots level.
