Aqeel, Abid lift Peshawar doubles title

Top-seed also in singles final, to meet Yasir.

PESHAWAR: Pakistan’s top-ranked tennis player Aqeel Khan and his doubles partner Muhammad Abid beat Shehzad Khan and Yasir Khan 7-5, 6-4 in the All Pakistan Chief Minster Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Ranking Tennis Championship’s doubles final at the Garrison Club.

Partners turned opponents in the men’s singles semi-final where Aqeel easily overcame Abid 7-5, 6-0 to seal his place in the final where he will take on younger brother Yasir who edged past Usman Rafique 4-6, 6-4, 6-1.

“Although its my brother Yasir on the other side of the net in the final, I have vast experience on grasscourts and that will give me an edge over him,” Aqeel told The Express Tribune.

Meanwhile, in the under-18 semi-final, Kashanul Haq beat Rashid Khan 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 and will take on Ahmad Baber who beat Arhman Atique 6-0, 6-1. Syed Nofil Kaleem and Muhammad Muzamil will be facing each other for the under-14 title. Nofil outplayed Asad Ullah 6-1, 6-4 while Muzamil defeated Adil Qazi 6-4, 6-2.

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