Mahad, Daniya star in Independence Day Tennis

LAHORE: Mahad and Daniya won the U-16 & above boys and girls events respectively in the Independence Day Tennis Championship at the Punjab Lawn Tennis Academy Bagh-i-Jinnah Courts on Wednesday.

Beside Mahad and Daniya, M Shoaib Khan won the the U-14 boys title whereas Abeeha Nadim bagged U-14 girls title. The U-12 boys/girls title was won by Hamid Nasir. U-10 boys/girls event was won by Ali Azeem while Habib Tahir clinched the U-8 boys/girls title. Husnain Danish claimed the U-6 boys/girls title.

Sports Board Punjab Vice Chairman Rao Zahid Qayyum was the chief guest of the championship. Punjab Lawn Tennis Association (PLTA) Secretary Rashid Malik, PLTA Vice President Afzal Shareef, JTI Pakistan Head Hamid Niaz were also present on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion Rao Zahid Qayyum lauded the efforts of PLTA for the promotion of tennis at grassroots level. The SBP vice chairman also assured the PLTA and especially its Secretary Rashid Malik of his all-out support for the flourishment of tennis so that the Punjab Tennis Academy may engage more and more youth in this game.

PLTA Secretary Rashid Malik said on the occasion that the only purpose of the PLTA is to create maximum opportunities for the young tennis players in shape of tennis camps, tournaments and championships to help the association find out the fresh and promising talent.

“I request Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar to help us in establishing maximum number of tennis courts in different cities, where the young talent must be provided free equipment and coaching, and in return, I promise, the country will get tennis champions in great numbers,” Malik concluded.