PESHAWAR
Trials under the aegis COMBXX Sports Pakistan of Junior Tennis players were held at Peshawar Sports Complex with top fours players selected in different categories here on Thursday.
Talking to media Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Tennis Association Umar Ayaz Khalil said that they have conducted two-day trials in collaboration with COMBAXX Sports Pakistan and Techni Fiber wherein the players were purely selected on merit only.
Former international tennis player Iftikhar Ahmed, hailing from Kohat, his brother international Zulfiqar Ahmad a Saudi Arabia Tennis coach, now working in Jeddah, his other brother a tennis coach Waqar Ahmad also represented Pakistan while playing for Pakistan Air Force in way back 1980s also extended support to the association.
He was accompanied by Provincial Tennis Association Coaches Shahriar Khan, Zakirullah, Noman Khan, Roman Gul, Jan Khan, Zahid Khan, Amjad Nasir of PDA coach, Shahid Afridi, and Inamullah and Inam Gul international Davis Cupper among others were also present. Iftikhar Ahmed met the players and watched the trials thoroughly.
Appreciating the children’s sport, he announced that he would hold a junior tennis tournament next month in August at the Peshawar Sports Complex. In the first phase, 20 players participated out of which 8 players were shortlisted, Umar Ayaz said.
The trials were supervised by the General Secretary of the Provincial Tennis Association, Umar Ayaz Khalil with players including Rian, Zalan, Uzair, Shafiullah, Arsalan, Timour, Safiullah, Anis, Ehsanullah, Wasiullah, Ahmed, Shayan, Manahel, Abdullah, Salar, Zohaib, Faizan and Shehryar were included in the U-8.
Hamza, Uzair, Timour and Anees in U14 and Shayan, Abdullah, Zohaib and Shehryar in U8. He thanked Iftikhar Ahmad for announcing Rs. 100,000 for the camp training and assured that he would extend his support to the association for holding tournaments of various categories. He said the tournament would carry different age groups including U12, U16 and media singles. The tournament has a 100,000 cash prize for the position holders, Umar Ayaz said. He said the name of the tournament will be First Iftikhar Ahmad Junior Tennis Championship to be scheduled from August 1-4, 2022. He said that 20 players participated in these trials and among them various stage wise four top players have been selected.
The names of the players are as follows.
Under 14.
Hamza Roman, Rian, Zalan, Uzair,
Shafiullah, Arsalan, Taimoor, Safiullah, Anees, Ihsanullah, Wasiullah, Ahmad,
Under8
Shayan, Minahil, Abdullah, Salar, Zuhaib, Riyan, Faizan, Shehryar, Maliha
Total No of 8 players qualified for the main round of trials.
Under14.
Hamza, Uzair, Taimoor, Anees
Under8.
Shayan, Abdullah, Zuhaib, Shehryar.
He said after the final day trials total four players selected including Junior Davis Cupper and international tennis player Hamza Roman, Taimur Khan in top ranking of U14, Muhammad Shayan Afridi, the U10 Pakistan No 1, Zohaib Amjad is Pakistan No. 3 in U10.
