Asia’s best but hungry for titles

12-year-old Kaleem has sights set on trophies.

KARACHI: Nofil Kaleem became the first Pakistani tennis player to be ranked number one in the Asian under-14 category but the 12-year-old has other things on his mind: to continue winning tournaments.

“I’m working hard to become one of the top players in the world and this ranking boost has come at just the right time for me,” Kaleem told The Express Tribune. “I love tennis and I idolise Roger Federer. One day I will become just like him. But my next target is to compete in Qatar and win the championship to set off in pursuit of my aims.”

Kaleem’s coach Kamran Khalil confirmed that the Asian number one trains for four hours a day before spending the next two swimming – all this just to stay fit.

“Kaleem has talent and he’s dedicated to the game which separates him from other junior players,” said Khalil. “He is the son of the Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) president but the boy is passionate about tennis and that comes from within.”



Kaleem, a grade-7 student, has not only won 16 national U14 titles since 2011 but also won an ATP singles title this year as well as two ATF doubles events.

“As his coach for two years now, I have seen his passion for tennis and it makes my job easy because he picks things quickly. It’s amazing how effectively he implements what he’s learnt.”

Kaleem has a long way to go before taking up tennis professionally, according to Khalil, but stands a good chance of carrying the county’s flag after Aisamul Haq Qureshi. He will, however, break into the International Tennis Federation’s futures circuit in the next two years if he continues playing this way, added the coach.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 22^nd, 2012.