Sports Bulletin

Hameed vows to maintain 8 times winning record in the ITF Asian Seniors ChampionshipsAbdul Jabbar FaisalISLAMABAD: Pride of Performance Award holder, and former Davis Cupper, Hameed-ul-Haq will represent Pakistan in the upcoming Greta Sport Club Asian ITF Master II Championship starting from September 30, 2023, at Pattaya, Thailand.Having the feather in his cap of the ITF Davis Cup Commitment Award 2017, Hamid Ul Haq will leave Islamabad for Bangkok on September 27. ITF Master II championship will be held from September 30th to October 5th, 2023 on Synthetic Hard Courts at the Greta Resort, and Sport Club, Pattaya. Hameed will participate in the seniors’ 60 + singles, doubles, and mixed doubles competitions.Hameed-ul-Haq said: “I have already been training for this tournament for the last month and I will try to maintain my record of winning 8 times the ITF Asian Seniors Championships in different age categories and will try to win this championship for Pakistan. I have confirmed my entry in the European ITF Seniors Championship and will participate in Budapest, Hungary in the month of October after participating in Thailand.” 

Abdul Jabbar FaisalISLAMABAD: Aisam ul Haq Qureshi and Aqeel Khan overcame 2-1 Indonesia duo of brothers David Susanto and Anthony Susanto in the Doubles discipline of the Davis Cup World Group-II Tennis Tie here at the grass court of the Aisam-ul-Haq Tennis Pavilion, Pakistan Sports Complex on Sunday. The final score-line of 3-6, 7-5, and 6-2.After winning the toss, skipper Aisam decided to choose a side instead of taking the advantage of serve because he wanted the sun on his back. Indonesian players started the game by hitting a powerful drive from down the line and finished the first game after conceding only 2 points. Asiam and Aqeel did not allow their opponents to get a single point in the second game. Score was levelled at 1-1, and 2-2. Visitors players succeeded to break serve in the 6th game of the first set, as the game was even, after getting the advantage, they claimed the game and made the set score 4-2. David Susanto, and Anthony Susanto maintained their serves in the 7th game and 9th game to earn 1-0 lead in the crucial tie.In the second set, Pakistan won the first game quite easily and there was a nail and bite contest in the second game, as local players missed a couple of occasions to break the game. The set went up neck-to-neck till 5-5, as no one could break the serve. Aqeel and Aisam fought brilliantly in the 12 game and toiled hard on the court to break the game. Finally, Pakistan squared the match 1-1 after breaking the 12th game despite wasting two set points.After bouncing back in the match, Aisam and Aqeel showed aggregation in the final set that they claimed 6-2 by hitting beautiful forehand and backhand drives with classic drop-shorts. They broke the serves in the 4th and 8th game to win the set at 6-2, as the final score-line was 3-6, 7-5, and 6-2. In another match, Mohammad Shoaib beat Gunawan Trismuwantara 7-6 (4), 6-4 in the reverse singles, to give Pakistan a clean sweep.Aisam ul Haq said: “I am happy with the victory, I and Aqeel work hard on the court to overcome rivals. After losing the first set, we changed our strategy and hit some good winners to achieve the goal of victory. We had an edge of grass surface but the hot weather and conditions levelled the field for the both teams. We were well experienced in the grass. However, we worked hard and collected a big win for our country Pakistan.”Aqeel Khan said: “It was wonderful and a great win for us. We produced a notable performance after going down 0-1. We missed some vital points in the first set and we lost and we came from behind to post a remarkable victory. I have played together for a long time for Pakistan and played over 100 Davis Cup Tennis Tie matches for our country and different venues.”Coach Mushaf Zia said: “Our boys did well and claimed a big win in the Davis Cup. There was not a big difference in the both sides, as Pakistani duo of tennis stars Aisam and Aqeel have been playing together for a long time. They used their experience to defeat the visiting team.” 

Abdul Jabbar FaisalISLAMABAD: Duo of Pakistan tennis starts, Aisam ul Haq Qureshi and Aqeel Khan gave 2-0 lead against Indonesia in the Davis Cup World Group-II Tennis Tie by thrashing their opponents in Singles here at Aisam-ul-Haq Tennis Arena grass courts on Saturday.In the first singles, Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi outclassed David Agung Susanto in straight sets 2-0, as the final score-line was 6-4, and 6-1. Aisam displayed top-quality tennis to overcome his rival quite comfortably, as he conceded just a solitary game in the first set. In the second set, visitor lad, David Agung Susanto showed some resistance and tried to control the game but his efforts could not substantiate to bounce back in the match. Asiam finished the second game at 6-4.Aqeel Khan overcame Gunawan Trismuwantara in the second single of the day, as he had to toil hard on the court in the first set that he claimed 7-5. He won the second set at 6-4 to register victory in straight sets 2-0, as the final score-line was 7-5, and 6-4. Doubles match are reverse singles will be played on Sunday at the same venue.

Abdul Jabbar FaisalISLAMABAD: Ace tennis lad, Aisam ul Haq Qureshi will take on David Agung Susanto in the opening fixture of Davis Cup World Group-II Tennis Tie against Indonesia on Saturday (September 16, 2023) here at Pakistan Sports Board’s Grass Court on the premises of the Pakistan Sports Complex, as the Draws were taken place at a local hotel on Friday morning. The Pakistan number one tennis player, Aqeel Khan will face Gunawan Trismuwantara in the second Single of the day at the same venue.International Tennis Federation’s nominated officials including Hany El Khafief (Referee), Gianluca Moscarella (Chair Umpire), and Ivan Yovchev (Chair Umpire) attended the ceremony. The top officials of the Indonesian embassy in Islamabad including Yusran Hadromi were there to back their players.Also, the president, Pakistan Tennis Federation PTF Senator Salim Saifullah, and other PTF top officials including Arif Qureshi, Mohammad Khalil Ahmed, Shahzad Alvi, Gul Rehman, Asim Shafik, Sohail Ahmed were present on this occasion. At the end, president PTF Senator Salim Saifullah Khan awarded mementos to the visiting players and officials.Aisam ul Haq said: “Although top Indonesian players are not part of their team, however, this tie will be challenging for us, as the players of the opposite squad do play in the international circuit regularly. We have an edge of the grass surface, I and Aqeel won the most ties on grass and we will give our best to win the tie. Pakistan have a remarkable record against Indonesia and played a couple of Ties both won by Pakistan in 1984, and 2015. We will try to maintain this record.”Coach Mushaf Zia said: “We selected the team after conducting the trials at a grass court, as the 8 players participated in the proceedings. We set the training camp on the same court to give good shape to players for the Davis Cup Tennis Tie. We toiled hard during the 45-day camp. We have veteran players Aisam and Aqeel, who have played over 100 Davis Cup Ties and claimed countless victories for Pakistan. We are well prepared and hope we will produce a notable performance against Indonesia.”Indonesia Captain Wiryawan Sugiharta said: “We came here after full preparation, and people will enjoy good competition and world-class tennis during the Davis Cup Ties. We are missing our two best players, as one is busy with international commitments while the other got injured before arriving here. Our team members are fit and produce sparking performances. We are happy to see arrangements and facilities at the venue.”  Schedule (September 16, 2023):1st Singles: 11:00 am: Aisam ul Haq Qureshi vs David Agung Susanto2nd Singles: Aqeel Khan Vs Gunawan TrismuwantaraSeptember 17, 2023:Doubles 11:00 am: Mohammad Shoaib / Mohammad Abid vs Gunawan Trismuwantara / Anthony SusantoReverse Singles: Aqeel Khan vs David Agung Susanto, Aisam ul Haq Qureshi vs Gunawan Trismuwantara   

Sports Bulletin ReportLAHORE: The Sports Board Punjab’s High Performance Tennis Training Camp concluded here at the SBP Tennis Academy.On this occasion, Director, Secretary Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab Shahid Zaman has said that a sustainable sports calendar and strategy are being devised and this working will be beneficial to a great extent for the future of sports in the province. He said this while talking to the media at the concluding ceremony of the Sports Board Punjab’s High Performance Tennis Training Camp here at the SBP Tennis Academy. Director Youth Affairs Syed Umair Hassan, Punjab Lawn Tennis Association (PLTA) Secretary and Camp Commandant Rashid Malik (Tamgha-e-Imtiaz) and a large number of young tennis players, coaches and officials were also present on this occasion. Speaking on this occasion, Secretary Sports Shahid Zaman said that the sports of the Punjab province has been put in the right direction. “We have organized several sports events and training camps in the recent past and this positive practice will continue in future as well under a systematic manner.” He added that the preparation of biennial sports calendar is in progress and this sports calendar will continue to benefit players in future. “An effective sports strategy is being carved out to promote sports culture and bring out new talent from across the province.” He said that the SBP High Performance Free Tennis Training Camp has played a key role in improving the game of young players. “This camp was organised to provide an opportunity to young tennis players to improve their games and skills. The camp probables must utilize the valuable training and techniques they have learnt under the supervision of expert coaches at the camp in their future competitive events.” Camp Commandant Rashid Malik, on this occasion, expressed his gratitude to Secretary Sports Shahid Zaman, Director General Sports Punjab Dr Asif Tufail and his entire team for organizing High Performance Free Tennis Training Camp. “Secretary Sports Shahid Zaman has been fully cooperating with us for the promotion of tennis in the province. This camp will benefit the talented youth of Punjab in the long run and help in sharpening their skills, who, in return, will win laurels for their province and the country at higher level.” At the prize distribution ceremony, Secretary Sports Shahid Zaman distributed cash prizes and shields among the players, coaches and officials participating in the camp. Camp Commandant Rashid Malik, Davis Cupper Coach Heera Ashiq, Ahmed Babar, Imran Bhatti, Camp Coordinator Faheem Siddiqui and Physical Trainer Syed Azhar Hussain were also handed handsome cash prizes by the chief guest. Notably, as many as 36 boys and girls of different age groups participated in the one and half month-long SBP High Performance Tennis Training Camp that was organized under the supervision of qualified coaches such as Davis Cupper Heera Ashiq, Ahmed Babar and Imran Bhatti under the able supervision of SBP Head Coach Rashid Malik. 

Sports Bulletin ReportISLAMABAD: Tennis star, Aisam Qureshi pairing with his Dutch partner Sanders Arend have reached the final of the TED Open ATP Challenger World Tennis Championship after beating their duo of opponents in Istanbul Turkey on Saturday.According to available information from abroad, Aisam Qureshi and Dutch lad Sanders Arend overcame the Indian, and Australian duo of Jeevan Needunchzhiyan and John Patrick Smith after a well-contested three-set match. The final score-line was 6-4, 5-7, and 11-9, as the match lasted over two hours.Earlier in the quarterfinal, they outclassed an all-Dutch team of Jesper de Jong and Mats Hermans in straight sets 2-0 with the score-line of 6-4, and 7-6. They also defeated Israeli pair Daniel Cukeirman and Joshua Paris 2-1. The final score-line was 3-6, 6-3, 11-9.

Sports Bulletin ReportISLAMABAD: Pakistan number one tennis player, Aqeel Khan has won the Men’s Singles title of the Captain Mohammad Fahad Khan Shaheed Tennis tournament after beating Barkatullah in straight sets 2-0 in the final here at the Institute of Space Technology University (ISTU) on Friday.Aqeel Khan from WAPDA outclassed Pakistan number 6 Barkatullah from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) Police by conceding just three games in both sets. The final score-line was 6-3, and 6-3.Earlier, in 60+ single final, Inam-ul-Haq defeated Faisal Ahmad 2-0 with the score-line of 6-1, and 6-2. Meanwhile, in 45+ double Inam ul Haq and col. Ziauddin Tufail beat Kashif Ali and Haider Khan with the score-line of 6-3, 6-2. Major General (Retd) Rehan Abdul Baqi vice chancellor ISTU graced the closing ceremony as chief guest and gave away prizes to the winners. 

Nikunj Shah, Navin Dalmia, and Rajdeep Dalmia acquire Hyderabad Strikers Sports Bulletin ReportMumbai (India): Ahead of the highly anticipated season 5 of the Tennis Premier League (TPL), visionary founders and owners of ENN Sports LLP, Nikunj Shah, Navin Dalmia, and Rajdeep Dalmia have acquired the Hyderabad Strikers. The highly enterprising trio will be co-owners of the two-time and current Champions of the league alongside celebrity co-owner Rakul Preet Singh.Co-owner of Hyderabad Strikers, Rakul Preet Singh spoke with delight about the new development, “The TPL is a great place for the talented tennis players in the country to show off their skills and improve their game further while working with the biggest names in the sport. Hyderabad has always been well-known for their contribution to Indian tennis, and with the Hyderabad Strikers, we want to further enhance that reputation.”ENN Sports LLP is a premier sports-promoting company that is dedicated to enhancing sports culture in India and around the world. The company provides a wide range of services that include sports team management, event organization, and sports marketing.Nikunj Shah's entrepreneurial spirit, combined with his deep-rooted love for sports, has positioned him as a prominent figure in both communities. With his ongoing efforts, Shah continues to leave a lasting impact on the sports landscape.Talking about his love for the sport of Tennis, co-owner Nikunj Shah said, “Tennis holds a special place in my heart. I actively participate in and support the sport. We are always looking for opportunities to help athletes grow at the highest levels, and the TPL aims to do exactly that. So, I want to actively contribute to the growth of Tennis in India, which I am certain would be possible through the Hyderabad Strikers.”Rajdeep Dalmia has a passion for technology that is infectious and has the ability to inspire and motivate those around him. He believes in the power of collaboration and fosters an environment of innovation and creativity within his organizations.Rajdeep, who used to play tennis in school said, “The TPL is a great way to experience the excitement of a live tennis match, especially as the matches are played in a fast-paced environment due to the format. The Hyderabad Strikers is a phenomenal franchise with a storied history in the league. With our expertise from ENN Sports LLP, I am sure we will be able to expand the dedicated fanbase of the Hyderabad Strikers that will spur us on in our title defence in season 5.”Co-founder of the TPL, Kunal Thakkur spoke about how the new ownership will help the Hyderabad Strikers come season 5. He said, “ENN Sports LLP is an innovative enterprise much like the TPL. Their expertise in sports will allow them to become league leaders in terms of strategy, planning, and promotion. This will surely help the Hyderabad Strikers to continue succeeding on and off the court.”Mrunal Jain, co-founder of the TPL mirrored his fellow co-founder’s sentiment as he said, “The Hyderabad Strikers is the most outstanding franchisees in the league, and will surely prosper even more under the guidance of visionaries such as Nikunj Shah, Navin Dalmia, and Rajdeep Dalmia.” 

Special ReportIn the realm of sports, there are individuals who exemplify determination and resilience, rising above challenges to achieve greatness. One such individual is Asif Abbasi, Pakistan's top wheelchair tennis player, whose journey from a world ranking of 400 at the beginning of 2023 to now holding the impressive rank of 156 in the world showcases his remarkable ascent.Abbasi's journey gained momentum with his participation in the Bolton, cinch Queen's club, and Nottingham wheelchair tennis tournaments. His outstanding performances in these events not only caught the attention of tennis enthusiasts but also propelled him to his current world ranking. From a humble start, he has surged ahead, leaving his mark on the international wheelchair tennis circuit.The pinnacle of his achievements came with his victory at the “Play Your Way To Wimbledon” National Finals tournament held at the prestigious Wimbledon tennis courts in London, United Kingdom (UK). This monumental win not only underscores Abbasi's exceptional skill and determination but also marks a historic moment for Pakistan in wheelchair tennis.What makes his journey even more inspiring is that he's accomplishing these feats single-handedly, despite work commitments. However, the lack of sponsorship is hindering his ability to participate in more international tournaments. Currently, ranked 156th in the world, Abbasi is confident with the proper support to achieve even greater success.Abbasi's achievements hold significance not only for himself but for Pakistan's tennis history. He's set to make history as he competes in the Para Asian Games in China from October 22nd to 28th, 2023. Abbasi firmly believes that disabled Pakistani athletes can bring honor to the nation on the global stage.Looking ahead, Abbasi's ambition extends to the Paralympics in 2024 in Paris, France. His dedication to representing Pakistan on this prestigious platform is unwavering.In light of his accomplishments, Abbasi is advocating for more support for disabled athletes in Pakistan. He emphasizes that with proper backing, disabled athletes can consistently perform on the international stage, further uplifting the nation's reputation.Asif Abbasi's journey embodies determination and a fervent belief in the potential of disabled athletes. His story is not only a personal achievement but also a call to action to acknowledge and uplift disabled athletes on their path to international success.

In all nine years of the current management of the Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF), it was my observation that PTF officials would squander all the efforts and hard work done by the tennis loving PTF President Salim Saifullah Khan. Being here in Kuwait, it is regretful to bear witness PTF President's efforts go to waste due to the sad state of internal PTF affairs.The current PTF management in their nine years’ tenure not only wasted the existing talent, they also destroyed the future of Pakistan tennis by not producing a single capable tennis player to represent them internationally, thanks to the casual attitude, ego, and incompetent policies of a senior official of PTF.At the onset of Salim Saifullah's tenure, Aqeel Khan and Sarah Mehboob were Pakistan’s number one players, and still both these players hold the number one ranks as no new young talent could rise up.The likes of Davis Cup players Saamir Iftikhar, Abid Ali Akbar, Muzammil Murtaza and Fed cup player Mahin Aftab, each and every one of them had their talents laid to waste due to the policies of the said senior official. Same is happening with the current junior national champion and men’s top 10 ranked youngster Sami Zaib where should have been invited in trials for Davis Cup but some unknown USA based player Mujtaba Ali Khan blue eyed of top officials is invited for the Davis Cup trails purely on reference base.Similarly, an adviser to PTF kept promoting his daughter to attain all the benefits by hook or by crook while the said senior official kept promoting a certain tennis coach because of his lengthy friendship with that coach's father. Similarly the adviser used PTF to recommend her daughter to secure Tamgha-i-Imtiaz completing blowing up all merits while ignoring Islamic Games Gold Medalist, Asian Games Silver Medalist and SAF Games Gold medalist tennis players. This has brought shame not only to the entire tennis fraternity but also to the entire deserving sports & players in Pakistan.Now let us examine the performance of the PTF management. Last year, only six men’s national tournaments were held and this year none has taken place so far. Where will the national players go and how will they prepare professionally in the absence of a competitive platform?This year 2023, Pakistan Davis cup team suffered an ugly defeat from Lithuania in February in Lithuania just after defeating the same Lithuanian team in Pakistan in March 2022.The juniors Davis Cup under-16 team got the last position out of 16 in the Junior Davis Cup Asia-Oceania qualifying event held in Kazakhstan in May 2023. This defeat stands as one of the worst in the history of Pakistan tennis.In the Billie Jean King Cup Asia Oceania Group 2 event held in July 2023 in Malaysia, the ladies team got 10th position out of 12 teams and just marginally avoided relegation to Asia Oceania Group 3.In the under-14 ITF World Junior Tennis Finals event held in August 2023 in Czech Republic, the juniors team attained the last position out of 16 teams with a record bagel sets (6-0) for the defeating Pakistani players. No Pakistani could secure a single set from any opponent.This year only one positive news came out that the Junior U14 team qualified for the world group but the junior team selected for the ITF Junior Tennis Finals event couldn't even secure the Czech Republic visa as nothing was done from PTF management on time. Alternatively, they selected "B" grade team of dual nationals who got bageled in the worst way possible. The dual national coach sent with the team never even managed a street team as a captain/coach but the PTF selected him for a huge task.These few examples are enough to show the sheer incompetency of the PTF management. The onus is on the authorities who have been allowing extension to the current management without elections since November 2022.It is my final observation and question that under the captaincy of legendary Hamid Ul Haq, the Pakistan Davis Cup team beat Indonesia in Jakarta in 2015 without Aisam Ul Haq Qureshi where Abid Ali Akbar and Samir Iftikhar outshined the Indonesian team and now can Pakistan team beat them in Davis Cup again at our home ground – Islamabad -- next month without Aisam Ul Haq Qureshi? I don’t think so.(The writer is an International Certified PTR Tennis Coach from USA, ITF Certified Level II Tennis Coach, and also an Internationally Qualified high-performance pro tennis coach from Pakistan).Editor Note: If someone wants to respond to this article Sports Bulletin will welcome it (info@sports-bulletin.com)