Main round of BB Futures tennis starts today

ISLAMABAD: Aqeel Khan will take on fifth seed Julia Onken (Germany) in the first round of $15,000 Benazir Bhutto International Futures III tennis tournament as nine Pakistanis in total have been drawn in the main round getting under way at the Islamabad Tennis Complex courts today (Monday).

Aqeel who had tough previous two Futures outing will have relatively easy draw this time. Though beating German still be a difficult ask, Aqeel has got an opportunity to make it to the second round where Samir Iftikhar could well be his opponent. Samir will however have to beat Frenchman Luka Palovic in the first round to get a chance of playing against Pakistan No 1.

Nine players — Shahzad Khan, Yasir Khan, Muhammad Akbar, Heera Ashiq, Muzammil Murtaza, Aqeel Khan, Samir Iftikhar and Ahmed Chaudhry — have made it to the main round. As many as 23 foreign players from Canada, India, Ukraine, Turkey, Australia, Germany, France and Spain have also been draw in the main round.The organisers of the event have given wildcard to four local players — Abid Ali Akbar, Muzammil Murtaza, Heera Ashiq and Ahmed Chaudhary.