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Pakistan Open Tennis from April
12
'Pakistan Times' Sports Desk
KARACHI: Some of country’s
top players would be featuring in the men and women singles of Techron
Pakistan Open Tennis Championship at Karachi Club Hard Courts from April 12
to 19, organizers announced on Monday.
However Pakistan’s top-notch tennis start Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi once again
will be missing from the tournament, Vice President Pakistan Tennis
Federation Khawaja Saeed Hai said at joint news conference at KC Banquet
Hall.
“Despite our repeated attempts we failed to bring Aisam to Karachi for any
event since past many years,” he said. We and lovers of the tennis would
like to see Aisam in action in Karachi,” he said.
Tournament Director and ex-Davis Cupper Altaf Hussain, Secretary Sindh
Tennis Association (STA) Khalid Rehmani, Acting President KC Munawar Shaikh,
head of the organizing Committee Alamgir Shaikh and sponsor’s representative
Irfan Qureshi also spoke on the occasion.
Caltex Pakistan Ltd is sponsoring the event by offering Rs.450,000 while
Rs.200,00 prize money will be distributed among the winners with Rs.95,000
will be distributed among the men’s singles pre- quarter finalists.
Men’s singles winner will get Rs.30,000 while ladies singles winner will
grab Rs.12,000.
Besides men singles and doubles, ladies singles, Junior Under-17, boys
under-15 and 13 singles will be part of the championship.
Defending Champion Aqeel Khan, Jalil Khan, Nomi Qamar, Nasir Mustaq, Rashid
Malik, Shehzad Khan, Syed Zohair Raza have confirmed their [participation
for the men singles and Sara Mansoor, Sehar Khawaja, Saba Aziz, Mehreen
Izhar confirmed their entry for women singles.
32 players will be drawn in men and junior under-17 singles while in the
ladies singles draw will be of 16 players.
Top 20 men players will directly drawn in the main draw as per the PTF
ranking and 13 in the main draw for the draw of 16 players.
STA secretary said April 10 is the last date of entry after which draw will
be finalized.
Irfan Qureshi of Caltex Pakistan said as good corporate citizen they are
patronizing sports and they will continue to do so in future.● |
