November 4, 2001	Sunday	Shaba’an 17, 1422

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KARACHI, Nov 3: The main round of the fifth UBL Salma Noorani tennis tournament, a national ranking event which carries a cash purse of Rs203,000 begins at the Karachi Club hardcourts from Sunday.

The tournament has attracted a large entry — 91 in men’s singles and 76 in the junior (under-18) singles.

Almost all the top players, including the men’s singles defending champion Aqeel Khan, Asim Shafik, the newly crownednational grass-court champion and the Federal Cup winner, Nomi Qamar, Tahir Iftikhar and former Davis Cupper Rashid Malik are competing in the tournament.

The men’s singles winner will get Rs50,000 and the runners-up Rs20,000. Cash incentives for semifinalists, quarterfinals and pre-quarterfinalists have also been introduced.

Marium Rahim, who will defend her title, was one of the several top ranked players who have entered in the competition.

The qualifying rounds of the men’s singles, junior(under-18) singles and the boys (under-14) singles were to be completed Saturday evening before the draws are taken out.

In the 32-player men’s singles qualifying round, eight players will earn qualification for the 64-main draw whose first round matches start Sunday afternoon. Four qualifiers each will go to the main round of the 32-player draw of the juniors and boys singles.

The women’s singles draw will be of 16 and the winner will receive a cash prize of Rs20,000 and runners-up Rs10,000. The semifinalists will also get cash prize.

The junior singles winner and runners-up will also get Rs20,000 and Rs10,000 respectively, besides awards for the semifinalist.

The cash prizes will also be given in the boys singles, men’s doubles and veterans doubles.

Former National hardcourt champion and Davis Cupper Altaf Hussain is the tournament director.

The inauguration of the tournament will be tomorrow at 4.30pm.

Sunday’s fixtures: Junior (under-18) singles at 9am, boys (under-14) and men’s singles at 4pm.