U14 tennis event fails to attract international players

KARACHI: The first of the two under-14 events to be organised by Nimos & Nameer Shamsi Tennis Academy has failed to receive good response from international players.

The academy has announced two back-to-back ATF’s 14 & under Super Series tennis championships in collaboration with Sindh Tennis Association from July 9-21 in Karachi.

The first of the two events is to be held from July 9-15 here at Karachi Gymkhana. The entry deadline was June 13 and the withdrawal deadline is June 27. The events are singles and doubles for boys and girls.

According to the acceptance list of boys, no international player entered the event. Adil Khan is the top seed with ATF ranking of 104, Ibrahim Khan is second with ATF ranking of 227, and Abdullah Khan third with ATF ranking of 348.

The size of qualifying draw is 16 positions (four reserved for wildcards).

In the girls’ event, there are only five entries. Malaysia’s Dania Melati Fahrol Rodzi is the top seed. The others are from Pakistan and they are Mehrma Makhdoom, Aamna Naeem, Tehreem Yousuf, and Varisha Khan in the main draw.

Kim Dainihee from Korea (national ranking 21) and Tng En Lydia Liong from Malaysia (ATF ranking 267) withdrew their names from the main draw.

This is a Category 3 (ATF Junior series with hospitality) event. The singles qualifying draw will be played on July 9. The main draw size is 32 positions (six reserved for wildcards, eight reserved for qualification winners, two special exempt).