April 11, 2008	Friday	Rabi-us-Sani 4, 1429

KARACHI, April 10: The organisers have received an enormous response from players across the country for the Rs 0.2 million Pakistan Open tennis championship which gets into action on Saturday with the qualifying rounds.

“We have received some 200 entries for the prestigious annual event of the PTF calendar on Thursday, the last day for submission of entry forms,” technical director, Khalid Rehmani, told Dawn.

The entry fee per event is Rs200 whereas an outstation player gets a daily allowance of Rs500 from the commencement of the competition until elimination.

Top ranked Aqeel Khan is set to defend men’s singles crown upon his return from Tehran where he is presently engaged in Pakistan’s Davis Cup matches. On the other hand, the ladies singles event will throw a new champion in the absence of title-holder Nida Waseem.

The draws for men’s and juniors U-17 singles qualifying rounds will be taken out on Friday at the Karachi Club at 5.00pm.

The main rounds begin from Sunday and the final is fixed for April 18.