Tennis: Aqeel crashes out of ITF event

Pakistan number one tennis player loses in second round.

KARACHI: Pakistan number one Aqeel Khan crashed out in the second qualifying round of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Futures I men’s singles event in Fujairah, UAE, going down in straight sets to India’s Ashwin Vijayragavan 6-4, 6-4.

Aqeel, who was playing his first international tournament since 2007, defeated local player Mohamed Aljannahi 6-1, 6-1 in the first round but failed in his bid to overcome the fifth-seeded Indian.

“It wasn’t easy,” Aqeel told The Express Tribune. “It requires a lot of nerves to prevail and a defeat can shatter your confidence

“I’m not unhappy with my performance but I feel I need to push myself when it comes to competing with more experienced players in terms of international exposure.”

Aqeel, who is looking to bag at least one ITF title before May in order to be eligible for selection for the London Olympics, will now participate in an event in Bahrain.  Earlier, four other Pakistan players participating in the tournament – Zohair Raza. Salman Hasan, Syed Abdul Shakoor and Ahmed Chaudry – lost in the prequalifying rounds.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 19^th, 2012.