Junior Davis Cup: Young players need mental toughness, says Jalil
Pakistan can progress to the main round in April, claims coach.
The unseeded Pakistan team shocked the Asian-Oceania Zone pre-qualifying opponents with their impressive performance and finished top in Group A. PHOTO: FILE
KARACHI:
Pakistan’s junior squad coach Jalil Khan believes the country has the ability to qualify for the U16 Junior Davis Cup main round next month, given that the players have so far shown mental toughness in the tournament.
Jalil coached the junior team last month in Malaysia. The unseeded Pakistan team shocked the Asian-Oceania Zone pre-qualifying opponents with their impressive performance and finished top in Group A, defeating countries like Syria, Turkmenistan, the UAE and Vietnam.
“We had a good run and our players have what it takes to win,” Jalil told The Express Tribune. “Winning the pre-qualifying round was just the beginning, but we know that the next round will get tougher.
“Our players will take on teams from Australia, India and Thailand among other countries, who have better facilities and are more developed than ours.”
The coach will be taking Muhammad Zaid Mujahid, Muzammil Murtaza and Mudassir Murtaza to Kuching, Malaysia again.
However, he feels that compared to other countries, players from Pakistan still needed to work on their basic skills.
“Our players lack in the basics and they are still trying to work on it. The truth is that a good age to start training the juniors is seven to eight years; however, since we don’t have academies or proper systems in schools, our players lack such skills.”
Tennis is more about mental strength: Jalil
Jalil further went to emphasis that the basic training involves hand-eye coordination, footwork and techniques.
“For tennis, players have to rely more on mental strength, sometimes up to 70-80%. A smart player can compensate for the technique, but playing only physically won’t work for them.”
Meanwhile, the players and Jalil are competing in the local tournaments together.
“Right now we aren’t having any camp; instead we are playing local events.
“Match practice is the best kind of training before any international competition,” concluded Jalil.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 11th, 2014.
Pakistan’s junior squad coach Jalil Khan believes the country has the ability to qualify for the U16 Junior Davis Cup main round next month, given that the players have so far shown mental toughness in the tournament.
Jalil coached the junior team last month in Malaysia. The unseeded Pakistan team shocked the Asian-Oceania Zone pre-qualifying opponents with their impressive performance and finished top in Group A, defeating countries like Syria, Turkmenistan, the UAE and Vietnam.
“We had a good run and our players have what it takes to win,” Jalil told The Express Tribune. “Winning the pre-qualifying round was just the beginning, but we know that the next round will get tougher.
“Our players will take on teams from Australia, India and Thailand among other countries, who have better facilities and are more developed than ours.”
The coach will be taking Muhammad Zaid Mujahid, Muzammil Murtaza and Mudassir Murtaza to Kuching, Malaysia again.
However, he feels that compared to other countries, players from Pakistan still needed to work on their basic skills.
“Our players lack in the basics and they are still trying to work on it. The truth is that a good age to start training the juniors is seven to eight years; however, since we don’t have academies or proper systems in schools, our players lack such skills.”
Tennis is more about mental strength: Jalil
Jalil further went to emphasis that the basic training involves hand-eye coordination, footwork and techniques.
“For tennis, players have to rely more on mental strength, sometimes up to 70-80%. A smart player can compensate for the technique, but playing only physically won’t work for them.”
Meanwhile, the players and Jalil are competing in the local tournaments together.
“Right now we aren’t having any camp; instead we are playing local events.
“Match practice is the best kind of training before any international competition,” concluded Jalil.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 11th, 2014.