February 21, 2007	Wednesday	Safar 3, 1428

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KARACHI, Feb 20: Country’s leading player Aqeel Khan has been top seeded in the men’s singles of Sindh ranking open tennis tournament – the first of 2007– which gets into action at the CDGK sports complex on Tuesday.

He has got a first round bye so does his younger brother and current member of Davis Cup team Jalil Khan who has been seeded second.

According to Sindh Tennis Association (STA), Seher Khawaja, a former National hard court champion, tops the seeding in ladies and Nasir Mushtaq in juniors U-17.

Over 100 players belonging to the city and upcountry have entered the competition which carries Rs30,000 prize money, STA secretary, Khalid Rehmani, said Monday.

Two players – Umer Jahangir and Ahmed Ejaz have come from Quetta and brothers - Capt. Taimur Mahmood and Faisal Mahmood have reached from Islamabad.

Surprisingly, no player from Hyderabad and other parts of Sindh have entered in the competition.

According to prize money break-up, men’s singles winner will earn Rs8,000 while ladies champion takes home Rs4,000.

The events to take place are men’s singles and doubles, ladies singles and doubles, juniors U-17 boys and girls singles, boys U-15, U-13, U-11 and U-9 singles.

The tournament concludes on Feb 26.

Tuesday’s fixtures (first round):

Men’s singles 9am; juniors U-15 singles 12noon; juniors U-17 singles 2pm.