LAHORE, Dec 29: Not a single match in the seventh Haleeb All- Pakistan Junior Ranking tennis tournament could be completed due to late start of the proceedings on the opening day at the Punjab Tennis Coaching Centre in Bagh-i-Jinnah on Monday.

After an exhibition tie, four matches were in progress when the bad light forced the organizers to abandon the proceedings.

Punjab Lawn Tennis Association (PLTA) secretary Zahid Zafar said 120 boys and 28 girls were competing in the tournament. The final would be played on Jan 4, he added.

The tournament carries a total cash prize of Rs100,000. The winners of boys under-18 singles would get Rs10,000 while the girl Rs8,000.

The competition was being held in under-18, U-14 and U-12 boys singles, and under-18 boys doubles. In the girl’s section, under-18 and U-14 singles events would be staged.

Players had come from all over the country, including Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore and Peshawar.

Meanwhile, Pakistan has requested International Tennis Federation (ITF) to allow it to hold Pakistan Open and ITF Futures tournaments in September or October next year.

“I am with the permission of Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) negotiating with the ITF on the issue and hopefully Pakistan Open will be held in September or October next year,” said Rao Iftikhar, PTF senior vice-president during a press briefing on Monday.

He said that none of the ITF terms and conditions for holding the event was impossible for PTF to meet. The game will get a great boost in Pakistan once it is allowed to hold the event, he added.

He said that he had contacted with India and Sri Lanka and found them willing to arrange visits of their teams of different age groups on home and away basis.