Indian tennis players to take part in Lahore event

KARACHI: Pakistan has cleared Indian tennis players for participation in the 23rd Maple Leaf Cement Pakistan ITF Seniors World Ranking Tennis Championship in Lahore next month.
“Eleven tennis players from India have entered their names in this event. Two of them, Prasad Apte and Robin Vinod Kumar, have got visas and the rest are likely to get their visas on Monday,” said Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) secretary Khalid Rehmani while talking to ‘The News’.
He said tennis is not a high-profile game in Pakistan so it wouldn’t get affected. “Some people suggested us to keep these events low profile considering the recent tension between India and Pakistan, especially in sports. But we are hopeful that nothing untoward will happen,” said Khalid.
He added that the officials of PTF had used their connections to get clearance for all the Indian players and they had been conveyed the message to go to the Pakistan embassy and get visas. “We have telephoned them and they will go to the embassy on Monday to get visas,” he added.
Khalid said both the players who had got visas participated in the previous edition of the event last year in Lahore. “Their main player Pawan Jain is actually playing in Thailand and will go back to India on Saturday,” added Khalid.
This Grade-4 event is to be played on the grass courts of Bagh-e-Jinnah tennis courts from November 2-7. The entry deadline was October 14.
The event offers more than $1000 in prize money. The singles and doubles events for men are in the age categories of 35, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65. For women there is only one age category, that of 35 plus, in singles and doubles events. According to the acceptance sheet, the Indian players that have entered their names are Dilip Mohanty for 35 category; Prasad Apte, Avneesh Raghuvanshi, and Gurdarshan Singh Ramana for 45 plus category; Pawan Jain, Harsh Sharma, and Vinod Kumar for 50 plus category.
In 55 plus age category, Ajeet Bhardwaj, Rakesh Kohli, Ajay Talwar, Naresh Khatri, and Kishore Choudhary have entered their names. Sushil Suri entered his name in 65 plus category.
Shashi Bhushan Sharma withdrew from 50 plus category and Sushil Suri withdrew from 55 plus category.
“Three Indian players have entered their names in Karachi Club Pakistan ITF Seniors World Ranking Tennis Championship and we will try our best to arrange visas for them as well,” added Khalid.
That event is also Grade-4 and is to be played on the plexipave surface at Karachi Club from November 21-27.
The deadline for entry is November 4. “We are giving free board and lodging for all overseas participants for the duration of the tournament in this Karachi event,” added Khalid.
The singles and doubles events for men in this championship are in the age categories of 35, 45, 55, and 60 while for women there is only one category of 35 plus in singles.