Indian juniors to play in Pakistan

Tennis event to see academy players from both sides of the border.

KARACHI: The Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) has planned to organise a tournament for juniors that will also see the participation of India players.

Birbal Wadhera, who has trained Davis Cup players for India and coached the Pakistan players for a month in May, will recruit players from different academies in India for the event.

According to the PTF Vice-President Irshad Bhatti, the event will benefit both sides and is likely to be organised next month.

“We want to continue our cooperation with the Indian tennis community,” Bhatti told The Express Tribune. “Wadhera came here and worked with our juniors. It’s something that we have been working on and this will give the game a boost in the country.”

Bhatti added that since the PTF had delayed the exhibition match between Aisamul Haq Qureshi and Rohan Bopanna at the Wagah border due to the duo’s international commitments, the initiative to organise this tournament was to attract people towards tennis.

Meanwhile, Wadhera has said that there are possibilities of having a series between the junior players and added that the PTF should benefit from the various International Tennis Federation (ITF) events that take place in India.

“This sort of event needs a lot of preparation. I have been in constant touch with the players in Lahore and I’ve suggested them to enter in ITF events that will take place in Delhi. The PTF should definitely push their players for it because they don’t cost a lot,” said Wadhera.

He added that the PTF needs to understand the logistics of organising a joint tournament and it was better if Pakistan players took part in events in India.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 23^rd,  2011.

Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly mentioned Birbal Wadhera as a Davis Cupper. The change has been made.