Tennis - Int News
Tennis Premier League Season V
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.”
Tennis News: Pakistan beat Guam 2-1 in Billie Jean King Cup
Sports Bulletin ReportISLAMABAD: Pakistan women's tennis team defeated Guam 2-1 in Billie Jean King Cup 2023 in a well-contest match on Monday.According to an official of the Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF), in the first singles match, Ushna Sohail outplayed Sydney Packbier in straight sets 2-0 with the score-line of 6-1, 6-2. In the second match, Sarah Ibrahim lost her match against Fremont Gibson at 3-6, 4-6.Later, in the Doubles Fixture, Sarah Ibrahim and Ushna Sohail overcame their rivals’ pair Fremont Gibson and Sydney Packbier 2-1, as the third set finished at a tie-break. The final score-line was 4-6, 6-0, and 7-6 (2). The President of PTF, Senator Salim Saifullah Khan, and the Executive Committee of PTF congratulated team members on this win.
Aisam and Nicolas lift the Doubles title of ATP Challenger Championship
They outclass Romanian pair 2-0 in the final with the score-line 6-3, 6-3Sports Bulletin ReportISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Aisam ul Haq Qureshi pairing with Columbia’s Nicolas Barrientos outclassed the Romanian pair of Gabi Adrian Boitan, and Bogdan Patel in the final to clinch the title of the Concord Lassi ATP Challenger Championship trophy in Romania.Both lads displayed excellent skill of tennis and they were enough better in all departments of the game. The final score-line was 6-3, and 6-3. Earlier, in the semifinals they overcame Czech/Romanian pair of Marius Copil and Zdenek Kolar with the score-line of 7-6, 7-5.
Tennis News: Juniors’ IC Rod Laver Asia Developmental League concludes
Parents applaud the performance of players, Pakistani team squad arrive backSports Bulletin ReportKARACHI: A four-member tennis team accompanied by Captain Mohammad Khalid Rehmani of the International Lawn Tennis Club of Pakistan took part in the Under-16 Invitational International Lawn Tennis (IC) Asia Oceania Developmental League that was held in Tokyo Japan.According to the official press release, the team consisted of Mikaeel Ali Baig, Samer Zaman, Eschelle Asif, and Daliah Ashraf. Besides Pakistan, India, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Israel, Australia New Zealand, and Hong Kong were participant nations of the elite tennis contest. Also, Pakistan, Japan, and India featured in this biannual event of IC International.The primary objective of the IC developmental league was to raise friendship and international connections through the medium of tennis. Pakistani, Indian, and Japanese players united for a four-day multicultural experience, engaging in team matches that showcased the values of camaraderie, fair play, and sportsmanship. The event was held at the Olympic Games Tennis venue Areaka Olympic Garden Tennis Complex Tokyo.The event commenced with an opening ceremony, where the players were introduced, and the flags of their respective countries were proudly raised. A regular Philanthropy clinic followed, where the Pakistani players took the opportunity to interact with and mentor young deaf children who were new to tennis. They provided guidance on serving, forehand shots, and backhand shots. The Pakistani girls, Daliah and Eschelle were seen demonstrating tennis rallying shots to the young children and also showed them how to hold rackets and taught them the basics of tennis.To conclude the day, Mikaeel and Samer, alongside Japanese partners, played a friendly doubles match, emphasizing the spirit of cross-cultural collaboration. A delightful cross-cultural dinner experience sealed the day's events.Over the next few days, the teams engaged in numerous friendly matches against each other. India dominated in these Invitational friendly matches beating Japan and Pakistan. Additionally, they had the chance to partake in cultural activities such as learning Japanese calligraphy, visiting the renowned Senso-ji shrine, and enjoying a city bus tour.On the final day, the teams exchanged tokens of appreciation as gifts. Mikaeel Ali Baig, demonstrating exceptional skill and sportsmanship, was honored with the prestigious IC Rod Laver Sportsmanship award, and he was also recognized as the upcoming player of the league.Ayesha Alibaig, Mikaeel's mother, expressed her appreciation for the well-organized event, highlighting the team's exposure to a different culture and the opportunity to compete against players from various countries. She emphasized the importance of support from federations and private sponsors in enabling young tennis players to travel and participate in international events. Mikaeel's individual achievements, including winning multiple championships in Japan before the IC event, further underscored the need for continued support and encouragement for emerging talent in the sport.
Tennis News: Eschelle, Daliah, Mikaeel, and Samer to play 3-nation in Japan
Sports Bulletin ReportKARACHI: A 5-member squad of the International Lawn Tennis Club of Pakistan (ILTCP) on Monday reached the capital city of Japan Tokyo to participate in the three-nation Invitational Tennis fixture IC Rod Laver Junior Tennis League.Pakistan’s squad is consisting of 2 boys, 2 girls, and an official for the international tennis juniors’ fixture. Pakistan, India, and a couple of teams from Japan will take part in the competitions. Eschelle Asif, Daliah Shazim, Mikaeel Ali Baig, Samer Zaman are the part of contingent while Mohammad Khalid Rehmani will accompany the squad as non-playing captain-cum-manager. It is pertinent to mention here that Mekaeel Ali Baig was already in Japan for 15 days with her mother Sysha Ali Baig taking part in Asian Tennis Federation’s Asian Ranking Juniors tournaments. Samer Zaman is Asian and ranked 115 today in the Under-14 age category. Daliah and Eschelle are top two Under-14 tennis girls of province Sindh.The format of the competition is league basis 2 Boys’ Singles, 2 Girls’ Singles, 1 Boys’ Doubles, and 1 Girls’ Doubles will be played. All teams will play each other and winner team will qualify for IC junior leagues final in Santiago later this year.
Tennis News: Leander Paes and Yatin Gupte to acquire franchise in TPL-5
Sports Bulletin ReportKolkata (India):-Tennis star Leander Paes and Chairman Wardwizard Group Yatin Gupte have announced to procure a combined team from the City of Joy, which is set to compete in Season 5 of the Tennis Premier League (TPL). League will be held in the Balewadi Stadium in Pune in association with the All India Tennis Association (AITA) and Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA), as they will compete against the likes of the Pune Jaguars, co-owned by Sonali Bendre, Hyderabad Strikers, co-owned by Rakul Preet Singh, Bengaluru Spartans whose ambassador is Sania Mirza and Punjab Tigers, co-owned by Taapsee Pannu.Yatin Gupte said:"In terms of recognition and popularity, TPL is the premier competition of Tennis in India, the level of competition in the league is fantastic. That prompted us to invest in a team that'll take on other competitive teams in the tournament and we are excited to be part of such a wonderful tournament. It also gives us the opportunity to support and invest in Indian tennis, eventually helping elevate the status of tennis in the nation.”He further added on why the Wardwizard group bought a franchise in the innovative league, he said, “I myself am a massive tennis fan, I want to help the sport grow in the country as much as possible and the Tennis Premier League provides a clear pathway for us to do that. The League with its innovative format is well on the way to transforming the tennis landscape in India and it fills me with joy that we can actively contribute to this objective of shining the spotlight on sport in the country.”Leander Paes, said:“I am glad to be the face and co-owner of the team as Kolkata is my hometown, it's where I have some of my fondest memories from. The South Club in Kolkata is the most iconic tennis venue in the country that has hosted the most number of Davis Cup matches in India and has even produced legendary Indian tennis players such as Jaidip Mukerjea and Zeeshan Ali to name a few. I am sure that the presence of a team from Bengal will make season 5 of the Tennis Premier League even bigger than the previous editions.”
ATF U14 Tennis: Mikaeel wins 2 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze in a row
Sports Bulletin Report
KARACHI: Rising tennis lad Mikaeel Ali Baig produced a historical performance in the Asian Tennis Federation (ATF) Under-14 Tennis Tournaments by winning 2 gold, 1 silver, and 1 bronze medal that were held in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.
According to an official of Sindh Tennis Association (STA), Mikaeel Ali Baig, Pakistan’s talented young tennis star, had an exponential rise in the ATF ranking as he started 3 weeks ago being unranked and due to his successful performance will be in the top 40s in next week’s ATF tennis rankings.
Mikaeel, who visited Dushanbe three weeks back to play back-to-back three ATF under-14 tournaments was unseeded and unranked. In each tournament, Mikaeel defeated top-seed players on his way to finishing the tournament. His first ATF earned him a second place Silver medal. In the second ATF, he grabbed 2 gold medals winning first place in singles and doubles and in his final ATF tournament, Mikaeel gets a bronze for 3rd place.
Mikaeel Ali Baig said:
“I am of course sad that I lost in the semifinal but it was to the No. 1 seed. We had a great match, there were times when I was in the lead, and then he was. The match lasted 3 hours, and the outcome wasn’t what I had hoped for. We learn from our losses, this is what my mother tells me. There was a lot that I did learn about myself from not only this loss but also from these last 3 weeks. I am still on a developmental journey. I have many people in my corner who support me and wish me well, I thank all for believing in me. Know that I am still on a journey, there will be ups and downs and I am still learning. I have yet a lot to achieve and a lot more to do in life. I am constantly working on improving myself and I hope that along this journey I continue to make my family proud and earn more laurels for my country. I have two goals: to help the people of my country as best as I can and to represent my country in the Davis Cup. I hope in years to come I can achieve both.”
Mikaeel Ali Baig claims two crowns in ATF Under-14 Tennis
Sports Bulletin Report
KARACHI: Mikaeel earned double crowns in Dushanbe by winning in both singles and doubles gold medals of the Somoni Open Under-14 Asian Tennis Federation (ATF) tennis tournament that concluded in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.
According to an official of the Sindh Tennis Association (STA), Pakistan’s upcoming talented player Mikaeel Ali Baig gets two gold medals and becomes the singles and doubles champion.
In the singles match, Mikaeel had to face top South Korean player Siyun Kim, who he had lost just last week in a tight finals match. Once again, the two faced each other in a finals showdown. The thriller match started with Mikaeel very quickly gaining a strong lead and taking the first set at 6-3.
In the second set, however, Kim stepped up, changed his strategy and got the set from Mikaeel at 6-1. It all came down to the third set. Mikaeel was locked in and ready to take on the battle to the finish line. Kim was no match for Mikaeel’s aggressive game. The third set was over very fast as Mikaeel won at 6-0.
The duo partnership of Mikaeel (Pakistan) and Siyun Kim (South Korea), then had to face of opposing doubles team pair from Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan in the final. The doubles match started off with both teams struggling to take the lead. The first set was tied at 6-6, but the opponents managed to grab the set from Mikaeel and Kim.
Meanwhile, in the second set, the dynamic pairing of Mikaeel and Kim fought back and won the set at 6-4, taking the match into a super tie-break. Mikaeel and Kim played the tie-break strong from the start and won at 10-4 to get their championship win.
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.
ITF-3: Asif topples second seed Garreth Greene in straight sets 2-0
Sports Bulletin Report
LONDON: Pakistan No. 1 wheelchair tennis player, Asif Gul Abbasi, caused a major upset at the ITF 3 Tennis Tournament after eliminating second seed Garreth Greene from Ireland in straight sets 2-0 at Bolton, United Kingdom (UK) on Saturday.
Abbasi, who is currently ranked 285th in the world, displayed excellent skills of the game throughout the match by hitting number of winners, as he claimed the first set at 6-2 and did a determined comeback from Greene in the second set to win 7-6 (3).
Asif Gul Abbasi said:
“I'm really happy with how I played today. Greene is a great player and I knew it would be a tough match, but I just focused on playing my best and it worked out. I toiled hard on the court and did not show any complacency during the whole match".
Abbasi will now face an Italian opponent in the quarterfinals of the tournament on Sunday at the same venue, and his strong showing in the first round will give him the confidence to move ahead in the international wheelchair tennis fixture.
The ITF 3 tournament in Bolton is an important fixture in the wheelchair tennis calendar, and attracts some of the best players from around the world. Abbasi's triumph will no doubt raise worth of his profile in the field of sports, and could be a milestone for the talented Pakistani player.
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