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| April 13, 2003 | Sunday | Safar 10, 1424 |
Tennis chief blasts critics
ISLAMABAD, April 12: Pakistan tennis chief, Syed Dilawar Abbas on Friday hit back at critics following the Davis Cup team’s 5-0 walloping by Japan in their Asia Oceania Group I playoff this month.
“Their job is only to criticise and they would never offer anything concrete for the development of the sport,” he said in response to criticism from different quarters that only tried and tested players should have been dispatched for the tie.
The Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) chose to send a new-look team for the April 4-6 tie in the Japanese city of Toyota comprising Shahzad Khan, Shahzad Samad Khan, Inam Gul along with Aqeel Khan, the only experienced hand in the party.
One of the vocal critics of the PTF has been Munir Pirzada, a former secretary of the federation. He had warned “not to select players for encouragement” for the Davis Cup squad.
But Dilawar said Shahzad Khan has been the find of the tour and that he was happy the selectors picked him for the tie.” Shahzad put up a good show against the Japanese No 1 before losing 3-6, 2-6, 2-6.
Dilawar reiterated that the decision to bring in new faces was made keeping in view the future of Pakistan tennis but he added that both Asim Shafik and Nomi Qamar may still make a comeback. “We’ll ask the selectors if they have any chance.”
Both Asim and Nomi, No 2 and No 3 respectively on the national ranking were dropped after Pakistan lost to New Zealand 5-0 in February. In their place Shahzad Khan and Shahzad Samad Khan were selected while Inam came in for an “unfit” Aisamul Haq.
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