PTF advised to hold camp for Asian Games

KARACHI: Veteran tennis player and former Davis Cup captain Hameed-ul-Haq has suggested to Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) to hold a training camp to prepare Pakistani team well for Asian Games.

The Games are scheduled in Indonesia from August 18 to September 2. “We are number four in Davis Cup rankings in Asia. It will be a big challenge to maintain this position,” Hameed told ‘The News’. Pakistan have won a silver medal and two bronze medals in Asian Games previously.

Pakistan’s Nadir Ali Khan won bronze medal in men’s singles in 1978. Pakistan won a silver medal in 1978 and one bronze in 1974. PTF has not yet announced trials to select the team for Asian Games.

PTF president Salim Saifullah Khan chaired the Executive Committee meeting of PTF on March 8 in which it was decided that Inam-ul-Haq would lead the men’s team during the Asian Games.

It has been learnt that PTF has decided to select Aqeel Khan, Abid Ali Akbar, Muzammil Murtaza and Abid Mushtaq for the Games without trials. Sources said this was against PTF’s stated policy and discouraging for other players. A source associated with PTF told ‘The News’ that picking players without trials would be big injustice to such players as Ahmed Chohdri.

The source said that Ahmed was in great form and had recently come back to Pakistan after training in different clubs in Australia and Spain. Also, there are some talented junior players who should get chances to show their skills in trials, he added.

Before the Davis Cup tie against Uzbekistan in April this year, the PTF held trials in which seniors as well as top-ranked junior players (M Shoaib, Saqib Umar and Yusuf Khalil) participated.

At that time, PTF president said that there was a need to improve the skills of junior players, expose them to grass courts, and give them opportunities of playing against the best seniors to help them hone their skills and gain confidence.