PTF converts four c’hips into ATT events

KARACHI: Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) has converted four national-level annual tennis championships into Asian Tennis Tour (ATT) events since the organisers wanted foreign participation.

The national championships converted into ATT for October are Federal Cup National Ranking Tennis Championships held from October 12-18 last year and Syed Tajamul Abbas Memorial National Ranking Tennis Championships held from October 26-31.

The national events converted into ATT events for December are Kulsum Saifullah Khan National Ranking Tennis Championship held from January 3-10 last year and Serena Hotels Open Tennis Championships held from December 6-12 last year.

The 1st Benazir Bhutto (Shaheed) National Ranking Tennis Championships held from December 19-25 last year was also to be converted into an ATT event but later the federation changed its plan. It will be held as the regular national championship.

“The organisers of the said championships were demanding foreign players in their events, so we advised them to convert them into ATT events with slightly increased prize money,” said PTF Khalid Rehmani secretary.

He further told ‘The News’ that PTF was going to organise four ATT events in October and December. The Asian Tennis Federation (ATF) has uploaded two M-1 (category one) ATT events to be held in Islamabad in the last week of October, first on 24th and second on 28th.

Khalid added that they would hold national-level matches three days prior to these events in order to keep the national status of these events and provide competition to the local players as well.

“Only the men’s singles events in these ATT championships will be of international nature,” said Khalid.

It is to be noted that ATF has launched ATT as a Development Initiative for the Asian players. “The tour has been designed with the objective of providing development pathway for the Asian players and enhance competitive opportunities in Asia. It aims to fill up the void between the national and international professional circuit,” stated ATF in a press statement.

Category 1 event offers prize money of $5000 plus $2000 as travelling/support allowance to players, while Category 2 event offers prize money of $7500 plus $2000 as travelling/support allowance to players.

Category 1 events are to be held in succession of two events spread in one week while category 2 event is a standalone event. ATF has commitments from the national federations of Asia, stated ATF.