ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) has decided to restart tennis activities in the first week of June at the PTF/Dilawar Abbas Complex following almost two and half months of lull period due to COVID-19 and government decision of lockdown.
Khawar Hayat, Senior Vice President PTF confirmed to The News that the activities will be started under the laid down Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) in the first week of June.
“We have decided to restart tennis activities at the complex as player training and practice is of utmost importance. Our efforts would be get start these activities under the new SOPs governed by social distancing. Mainly we would concentrate on the singles and start training and competition in singles event. There are good number of tennis players who were training at the National Tennis Centre (NTC) when the lock down was imposed. We would be needing some times to get the things going at the NTC. We have players from different cities so they would be needing time to reach and get their acts together before restarting training.”
Khawar Hayat said the PTF was deeply concerned with all those support staff who were part of the training programme and all tennis related activities at the complex. “We have decided to restart tennis activities for their sake so that the stay busy and could earn their livelihood.”
The PTF SVP admitted that Coronavirus had come hard on the earning of sportsmen and related staff. “We would finalize an SOP before restarting activities and hopefully would chalk up a plan to ensure the well being and safety of all who would turn up at the Complex.”
Pakistan are to host Japan for the Davis Cup World Group tie in September in Islamabad. “Training of top players is more important keeping in mind the forthcoming Davis Cup tie against Japan to be hosted by Pakistan in September. So far the ties goes ahead as scheduled.”
Meanwhile activities at Islamabad Club and other tennis centers in Islamabad is getting to a slow start.