Seven foreign players in ATF 14 & Under tennis events

KARACHI: Seven foreign boys and girls are coming to Pakistan to play NEMOZ ATF 14 & Under Super Series Tennis Championship (Leg1 and Leg 2) to be held in Karachi next month.

According to the entry list, Arav Hada and Paranav Manandhar from Nepal and Mustafa Dustov of Uzbekistan have entered their names in the main draw of boys’ category of the Leg 1. Howard Chan from Hong Kong and Arav Hada of Nepal entered their names in the main draw of Leg 2. There are 13 players from Pakistan in the leg 1 and 14 in the leg 2.

Those who withdrew from the Leg 1 are India’s Aryan Deshwal, Agriya Yadav and Jasmeet Duhan, Hong Kong’s Chi Mong Anson Fung and Ho Wan Li, Nepal’s Aryan Giri, and Pakistan’s Saeed Ahmad Suleman.

The players who withdrew from Leg 2 are India’s Aryan Deshwal, Omaansh Choudhary Saharia, and Jasmeet Duhan, Nepal’s Aryan Giri, Hong Kong’s Ho Wan Li, and Pakistan’s Saeed Ahmad Suleman.

In girls’ category in the Leg 1, only five Pakistani players are in the main draw. Nine foreign girls withdrew. The players who withdrew are Nepal’s Rayana Shah, Shubhangee Laxmi, and Isha Shree, Hong Kong’s Ariba Imran and Eman Imran, Sri Lanka’s Saajida Razick, US’s Amina Salibayeva, Thailand’s Puckaporn Jirachavala, and India’s Manya Barange.

In the Leg 2, two Indian players are in the main draw. Millee Chug is top seed and Maryam Seraj is fourth seed. There are three Pakistani players. The nine girls who withdrew from Leg 1 also opted out of Leg 2. The withdrawal deadline of the Leg 2 is October 2, so the two Indian girls in the main draw may also withdraw.

The events to be played in both the Leg are singles and doubles for boys and girls. The main draw size is 32 positions (six reserved for wildcards, eight for qualification winners, two special exempt).

The Pakistani boys of the main draw of the Leg 1 with Asian rankings are Hasheesh Kumar (77), Ibrahim Khan (143), Hamid Israr Gul (161), Abdullah Khan (249), Yahya Ehtisham (569), Zain Ehtisham, Mir Saqib, Haider Ali, Nael Ahmad, Ayan Khan, Bilal Asim, Taimor Khan, and Taha Aman.

The main draw players from Pakistan of the Leg 2 are Ibrahim Khan (143), Hamid Israr Gul (161), Abdullah Khan (249), Yahya Ehtisham (569), Yahya Luni, Ayan Khan, Bilal Asim, Mir Saqib, Taimor Khan, Mohammad Kashan, Nael Ahmad, Zain Ehtisham, and Taha Aman.

Tournament Director Khalid Rehmani told ‘The News’ that last year they did not receive many foreign entries but this time they hoped to have many foreign players. He added that he met many players of different countries in Indonesia at Asian Games who promised to come to Pakistan to play these events.

Nemoz & Nameer Shamsi Tennis Academy is organising these two ATF’s 14 & Under Super Series tennis championships in collaboration with Sindh Tennis Association. The Leg 1 is to be played from October 6-9 at Karachi Gymkhana and Leg 2 will be held from October 13-16 at DHA Creek Club.