Aqeel aims Davis Cup tie win against Thailand

aPakistan number one wants PTF to send players for ITF Future events.

KARACHI: Aqeel Khan has called on the Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) to send players to the International Tennis Federations (ITF) Futures event in order to prepare the team for the Asia- Oceania Zone Group II finals against Thailand in September.

Aqeel emerged as the hero of the semi-final tie against Philippines, winning a doubles match with Aisamul Haq Qureshi and the singles rubber to ensure a 3-2 victory over the hosts on April 6.

He said that the team had progressed to the finals of the group after eight years, therefore he wants to win the tie so that Pakistan could get promoted to Group I of the zone.

“The PTF should take this seriously,” Aqeel told The Express Tribune. “We’ll be playing the finals after eight years. Our preparations against the Philippines were not good. We had a very short camp but now we have time till September. The PTF should send us to Indonesia or Malaysia to participate in the Futures events.

“Thailand will be a tough team, and they will make us play on the hard court; the weather will not be suiting us either, so having an exposure at the Futures event will help us prepare for the next tie.”

Meanwhile, Aqeel said that in case the PTF fails to send the players to play international events, he has his own plans.

“Aisam and I will be doing our best. We care for the team. If I can’t go to the Futures, then I’ll be concentrating on my form and physical fitness.”

Published in The Express Tribune, April 16^th, 2014.

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