No prize money at juniors’ tennis events

KARACHI: Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) has abolished prize money for junior events from January 2017 as per International Tennis Federation (ITF) rules. 

The decision was taken at its annual general meeting in Islamabad on Friday.

The AGM was chaired by PTF president Salim Saifullah Khan. Those who attended included members of management committee and representatives of Navy, Air Force, Sindh, KP, ITA, SNGPL, WAPDA, and PSTA.

“The same amount shall be spent on Juniors Development programme by the sponsors as per PTF rules, and players will get a combination of tennis equipment and Tennis Training Allowance instead. The sponsorship allocated amount will remain as before so that an incentive to juniors may be secured,” PTF’s general body decided.

PTF also decided to invite Asian Tennis Federation president Anil Khanna as the guest of honour during the Davis Cup tie against Iran in Islamabad in February.

PTF president informed the house that the tie would be played on the synthetic hard courts of Pakistan Sports Board. 

He said he had requested the Inter Provincial Coordination Minister to help build three or four grass courts at PSB on war-footing basis so that the next Davis Cup tie due in April 2017 may be played on grass.

It is worth mentioning that Pakistan have recorded most of their wins on grass courts. Aqeel Khan and Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi are good at playing on grass courts. 

The PTF president thanked the PM for approving the “investment grant” of Rs50 million for PTF which is expected to be received soon.

The president said that PTF was working on leasing land at Lahore and Karachi to build PTF’s own sports complexes.

President POF Sports Control Board (Wah) Aamir Murad offered to hold two back-to-back ITF Futures (Men’s Professional Circuit events) each offering $15,000 as prize money sometime in 2017 at the POF facilities in Wah. 

This was appreciated by the members as it would bring in more foreign players to Pakistan.

PTF secretary Khalid Rehmani informed the house that after a decade the PTF managed to hold 10 international championships in the country in 2016, including four Asian Tennis Tour (ATT) men’s professional Championships.

He stated that for the first time ever PTF organised 11 tournaments with cash prizes above Rs500,000.  Before this year only one or two such events were held in the country.

He hoped that in 2017 two to three more 500,000-plus prize money events would be held. 

The secretary added that PTF was also introducing a new circuit for boys and girls of ten and under named “Lobbing Love Tennis Ten Series” from January in collaboration with an academy in Houston, Texas. It will carry National Ranking points. 

The house also approved rules on age assessments and eligibility for junior players to curb the practice of concealing real age. 

The house also approved officiating reforms and enhanced the fee of qualified yellow Badge Umpires from January.  A minimum of four qualified umpires will be required for each national tournament.