Juggling tennis and studies no mean feat
Pakistan’s Samir Iftikhar busts discouraging myths.
England-born Samir Iftikhar’s highest ranking in the National Collegiate Athletes Association is 33 out of 125 tennis players. PHOTO COURTESY: SAMIR IFTIKHAR
KARACHI:
Pakistan’s Samir Iftikhar became the first Pakistani in 40 years after Haroon Rahim to compete against the best collegiate athletes in the US.
The 23-year-old will be signing off from the University of New Mexico (UNM) tennis team in style after finally managed to achieve a feat that only two other Pakistanis can boast.
The two sportsmen are Haroon and Zulfiqar Rahim, who began their international career on the ATP circuit after playing for their respective universities.
“It’s really nice to have been able to play tennis at this level,” Samir told The Express Tribune a day before he began his campaign at the National Collegiate Athletes Association (NCAA) Championship Central. “It’s amazing. Everyone told me that it won’t be easy to study and to play tennis simultaneously, but I proved them wrong.”
Samir will be playing his last championship for UNM, from where he graduated with a Master’s degree in Business and Bachelors in Philosophy with an impressive 4.0 GPA.
He admitted that excelling in tennis as well as in the classroom was never easy, but choosing between the two was something that never crossed his mind. “I never felt that there has to be a trade-off,” said Samir.
The England-born’s successful NCAA background can prove to be a great launch pad for professional tennis, and he can join a list of now-retired players like former US Open champion and world number one Jimmy Connors who went ahead in the ATP circuit after collegiate tennis.
Samir aims to give his best shot at professional tennis by targeting the International Tennis Federation Futures events and ATP. Additionally, he wants to represent Pakistan at the Davis Cup, stressing that his services are always available for his country. “One thing that’s common in playing for the university and country is that we are a part of something bigger than ourselves,” stated the 23-year-old.
Future plans and source of inspiration
Samir plans to adopt tennis as a full-time profession once he is through with his university in a couple of weeks.
The youngster said that his greatest strength comes from his passion for the sport. “I’ve enjoyed sports from a young age. I used to play cricket back in the UK till the age of 13, but then it was tennis that I felt most strongly about,” reminisced Samir. “In fact, at one point, I thought of taking up tennis and foregoing university education, but the great thing about athletics scholarships in the US is that they place great emphasis on excelling in studies.”
He added that being a Pakistani hardly hinders his opportunities on the tennis circuit in the US, saying that sports liberate people from politics and divisions. “We play with different players with diverse backgrounds here at collegiate level too,” said Samir.
The Davis Cupper’s best NCAA ranking during his four years in the circuit stands at 33. “Choosing tennis among all sports may have something to do with my personality. I’m a lone wolf who enjoys taking up challenges on an individual basis, and when you play tennis, it’s absolutely your responsibility whether you win or lose,” concluded Samir.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 21st, 2015.
Pakistan’s Samir Iftikhar became the first Pakistani in 40 years after Haroon Rahim to compete against the best collegiate athletes in the US.
The 23-year-old will be signing off from the University of New Mexico (UNM) tennis team in style after finally managed to achieve a feat that only two other Pakistanis can boast.
The two sportsmen are Haroon and Zulfiqar Rahim, who began their international career on the ATP circuit after playing for their respective universities.
“It’s really nice to have been able to play tennis at this level,” Samir told The Express Tribune a day before he began his campaign at the National Collegiate Athletes Association (NCAA) Championship Central. “It’s amazing. Everyone told me that it won’t be easy to study and to play tennis simultaneously, but I proved them wrong.”
Samir will be playing his last championship for UNM, from where he graduated with a Master’s degree in Business and Bachelors in Philosophy with an impressive 4.0 GPA.
He admitted that excelling in tennis as well as in the classroom was never easy, but choosing between the two was something that never crossed his mind. “I never felt that there has to be a trade-off,” said Samir.
The England-born’s successful NCAA background can prove to be a great launch pad for professional tennis, and he can join a list of now-retired players like former US Open champion and world number one Jimmy Connors who went ahead in the ATP circuit after collegiate tennis.
Samir aims to give his best shot at professional tennis by targeting the International Tennis Federation Futures events and ATP. Additionally, he wants to represent Pakistan at the Davis Cup, stressing that his services are always available for his country. “One thing that’s common in playing for the university and country is that we are a part of something bigger than ourselves,” stated the 23-year-old.
Future plans and source of inspiration
Samir plans to adopt tennis as a full-time profession once he is through with his university in a couple of weeks.
The youngster said that his greatest strength comes from his passion for the sport. “I’ve enjoyed sports from a young age. I used to play cricket back in the UK till the age of 13, but then it was tennis that I felt most strongly about,” reminisced Samir. “In fact, at one point, I thought of taking up tennis and foregoing university education, but the great thing about athletics scholarships in the US is that they place great emphasis on excelling in studies.”
He added that being a Pakistani hardly hinders his opportunities on the tennis circuit in the US, saying that sports liberate people from politics and divisions. “We play with different players with diverse backgrounds here at collegiate level too,” said Samir.
The Davis Cupper’s best NCAA ranking during his four years in the circuit stands at 33. “Choosing tennis among all sports may have something to do with my personality. I’m a lone wolf who enjoys taking up challenges on an individual basis, and when you play tennis, it’s absolutely your responsibility whether you win or lose,” concluded Samir.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 21st, 2015.