Tennis federation to issue central contracts to top players

Pakistan number one Aqeel Khan and juniors’ top player Samir Iftikahr are currently preparing for a tour to India.

KARACHI:


The Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) is planning to issue central contracts to the top four male and female players of the country. Besides the idea, the federation has also decided to arrange a tour to India and introduce a new tournament called the Aisamul Haq Qureshi Cup in its calendar.


“We’re working on issuing central contracts to the top players,” the PTF Senior Vice-President Irshad Bhatti told The Express Tribune. “We are also negotiating with the sponsors as well as with the Wapda sports department to fund the tournaments.

“This year, our biggest challenge is to issue the central contracts to our top four players, it will motivate them to do more for the country. There are so many players who have quit the sport because there is no money in it.”

According to Bhatti, the contracts will be awarded in the last quarter of the year.


“We’re planning to organise fund-raisers in Dubai. We will use the $5000 that we received from the International Tennis Federation (ITF) to send our number one Aqeel Khan and the juniors top player Samir Iftikhar to India and Turkey, so that they can participate in at least four tournaments there and get some international exposure,” said Bhatti.

Meanwhile, responding to the PTF’s plans, Khan said that it will be the biggest step towards promoting tennis in the country.

Khan, hoping that the PTF would get the funds in time, is currently preparing for a tour to India along with Iftikhar. “I believe we can get the best facilities in India. The culture is the same as ours and it’s cheaper to play over there as compared to other countries. The Indians are very tough competitors. So for me, I’ll prefer to play in India than going to Turkey,” said Khan.

The pair will leave for Delhi on April 18 to play two tournaments and will later consider travelling to Turkey for more events.

Meanwhile, Bhatti also revealed that the federation – in a bid to boost the sport – will introduce the Aisamul Haq Qureshi Cup next month in Lahore.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 13th, 2011.
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