By Abdul Jabbar Faisal
ISLAMABAD (February 2, 2020):-To seed and Pakistan number one tennis lad Aqeel Khan won the Men’s Single title of 33rd Federal Cup National Ranking Tennis Championship – 2020 by beating Muzammil Murtaza 2-1 in a three sets match at Dilawar Abbas Tennis Complex, Islamabad on Sunday.
Aqeel Khan built up the lead 2-0, by breaking the first game of Muzammil Murtaza. Murtaza leveled the score 2 all in the first set breaking the fourth game of Aqeel Khan. Muzammil won the first set at 6-3 by breaking 8th game of Aqeel Khan, by displaying powerful stokes from the baseline.
In the 2nd set, score went up to 3 all, as both the players hold their respective service. Aqeel Khan won the 2nd set at 6-3 by breaking 8th game of Muzammil after a long deuce. Both the players displayed the quality tennis.
In the final set, Aqeel Khan again took the lead 2-0 by breaking the first game of final set from Muzammil Murtaza by 0-40. When Aqeel Khan won the 6th game by holding his own serve and took the lead 4-2, Muzammil conceded the match due to the injury at 4-2.
Finally, Aqeel Khan declared winner and the champion of 33rd Federal Cup National Ranking Tennis Championship, as the final match lasted 2 hours and 20 minutes. Husnain Mehmood performed the duty of chair referee. Aqeel Khan got the cash price of Rs. 60,000 along with beautiful trophy, whereas Muzammil Murtaza pocketed Rs. 40,000 as runner up. Shahzad and Abid won the double title.
Ladies singles final between Sara Mansoor and Sarah Mahboob will be played on 14th Feb, 2020 after the arrival of ladies team from New Zealand.
Total amount Rs. 350,000 as prize money was distributed among the winners, as well as daily allowance paid to outstation players. Secretary Islamabad Tennis Association Arif Qureshi paid great tribute to Late Syed Dilawar Abbas for the establishment of ITA and valuable contribution for the uplift of tennis, not only in Islamabad also throughout the country. He was also patron
Tariq Murtaza President ITA and Chairman RDCA grace the occasion as chief guest and distributed the cash prizes among the winners. Medals were also awarded to the members of ladies team, which won the bronze medal in the National Games.
Salim Saifullah Khan President PTF, Khawar Hyat SEVP, Col. Gul Rehman[R], Saeed Ahmed, Hassan Baig, Nighat Said and tennis lovers witness the entertaining final.
