Pak juniors fail to fire

ISLAMABAD: The most talented of Pakistan’s junior Davis Cup team has been reduced to play for No 13 to 16 positions courtesy some poor training the players had received ahead of team’s departure to Malaysia.

Mohammad Shoaib and Huzaifa Abdul Rehman-led Pakistan Junior Davis Cup team is considered to be the best combination the country has ever found during the last twenty years. High expectations were there when they left for Malaysia to figure in 16-team event.

However, the results turned out to be shocking as the best of players failed to put up a decent show.The reason behind the poor show is that our national development director-cum-coach Asim Shafik has badly failed to realise the importance of the event.

The junior team coach was unable to realise the urgency and importance of Junior Davis Cup. The players who recently got the better of minnows to earn the right to play against the best in Asia/Oceania event found going tough against the best of teams.

The primary role of the National Development Director is to launch nationwide coaching programmes at grassroots level involving schools, colleges, communities and to establish all other components of players’ development including participation in national and international tournaments.

Unfortunately, Asim Shafik, the PTF Development Director, instead of doing his principal duties, gets involved in lucrative international assignments in total contrast of the nature of his job.

It is ultimately the team that suffers from such scenario as it happens in Junior Davis Cup. Just a couple of months good training and coaching could have earned the best possible standings for the team.

The two players have the ability to be the best of their age if imparted proper training. Sadly that did not turn out to be the case and Pakistan have lost good opportunity to prepare future of tennis with good and encouraging performance on the stage where it really matters.

Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) President Salim Saifullah Khan is putting in his all-out efforts to earn a bright future for Pakistan tennis. Be it bringing international tennis back to the country, generating resources and funds for national, international tennis and planning and development infrastructure, he did all he could in a short span. Sadly those officials and coaches who are there just by the stroke of luck are making no contributions.

Results: India beat Pakistan 3-0: (Sandeep Vengatesan Mohandoss (Ind) bt Huzaifa Abdul Rehman (Pak) 6-4, 6-2; Dev Vipul Javia (Ind) bt Muhammad Shoaib (Pak) 6-0, 6-0; Krishan Hooda and Dev Vipul Javia (Ind) bt Muhammad Ahmed Kamil and Muhammad Shoaib (Pak) 6-1, 6-3).

Korea beat Pakistan 2-1: Jungwon Park (Kor) bt Huzaifa Abdul Rehman (Pak) 6-2, 6-1; Muhammad Shoaib (Pak) bt Dong Ju Kim (Kor) 5-7, 6-3, 6-4; Jae Myeong Lee and Jungwon Park (Kor) bt Huzaifa Abdul Rehman and Muhammad Shoaib (Pak) 6-3, 6-1.

Thailand beat Pakistan 2-1: Huzaifa Abdul Rehman (Pak) bt Siravit Sudnate (Tha) 6-4, 6-4; Prachaya Baibong (Tha) bt Muhammad Shoaib (Pak) 6-4, 6-4; Prachaya Baibong and Anapat Timangkul (Tha) bt Huzaifa Abdul Rehman and Muhammad Shoaib 7-6(3), 3-6, 12-10 (super tie-break).

New Zealand beat Pakistan 2-1: Nicholas Francis Beamish (NZ) bt Huzaifa Abdul Rehman (Pak) 6-1, 6-0; Reece Falck (NZ) bt Muhammad Shoaib (Pak) 6-1, 7-5; Huzaifa Abdul Rehman and Muhammad Shoaib (Pak) bt Corban James Hercules Crowther and Reece Falck (NZ) (walkover).