THE standard of Pakistan tennis seems to be on the decline. And one gets this peculiar feeling after Pakistan avoided relegation fro groups two to three fo the Asia Oceania Zone tennis, and in doing so was quite satisfied with its performance! There, it seems, is absolutely no effort on Pakistan’s part to earn a place in the World Groups of the Davis Cup.
On the contrary, India had reached the 12-nation World Group of Davis Cup. But so far, Pakistan has miserably failed to achieve the desired goal.
Currently, Pakistan is struggling to keep its place in Group Two and its hard-fought, play-off 3-2 victory over South Korea in Lahore avoided its relegation to Group Three, thanks to the effort of the country’s top ranking star, Aqeel Khan who ensured our place in the Group Two by winning the second reverse singles.
Aqeel was the hero of Pakistan victory and is very much the dominant force in the country’s tennis circuit. He has won Islamabad’s Federal Cup, followed by Khyber Cup at Peshawar and back-to-back tournaments in Karachi — National Hard Court Championship and the year’s ending, Seventh Salma Noorani Cup, also the richest tournament of the country with a prize money of Rs 225,000/-.
By any standard four national ranking tennis tournaments during 2003, shows those handling and managing the national tennis affairs have little time for promotion and development of the game in the country.
Perhaps, the Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF), it seems, is not much inclined to raise the competitive standard of our players as the federation’s main concern is to remain in Group One by avoiding relegation to Group Two of the Asia-Oceania Zone Group tennis.
Struggle to remain in the Group One showed the decline of our national tennis standard and apprehension is being expressed that we might be relegated to Group Three if the PTF did not engage itself by providing international exposure to our front-line players.
It was about eight years ago the PTF held two ITF, Pakistan Satellite in 1994 and 1995 in Karachi and Islamabad with the cash prize of $12500. The whole effort attracted over 40 foreign players. This provided a rich exposure to Pakistani players who benefited by playing against foreign players. Tennis fans too enjoyed the game and the holding of the ITF Satellite gave a considerable boost to national tennis.
However, the Karachi leg of the 1995 ITF satellite turned out to be uncoordinated and chaotic, resulting in poor management and organization. The PTF entrusted the organizational responsibility to its vice-president Khawaja Saeed Hai, who was also the secretary of the Sindh Tennis Association.
The ITF sent the nine-page report, in the light of report submitted by its appointed referee to the PTF, about the mismanagement of the 1995 Satellite in Karachi. The ITF report was meant to improve the management of Karachi leg of the satellite and not to abolish it, as turned out to be the case.
The report was not made public and after the Karachi happening, no effort were made to hold the ITF Satellite. In case Karachi was not suited to the Satellite due to inefficient and incompetent organizers, one leg of the circuit could have been staged in Lahore and the second in Islamabad. The ITF report did not bar the PTF from staging the Satellite.
Senator Dilawar Abbas , who is president of the PTF carries heavy responsibility for revival of the ITF Satellite which would certainly help in improving the competitive standard of our players. Mere participation in the Davis Cup Asia Oceania Zone Group Tennis and holding a few national ranking tournaments will not help in achieving the goal of entering the World Group.
Davis Cup is not a one man team. Its requires three high quality players. Pakistan has the talented players but they badly require external exposure for which the PTF should generate fund. Let the PTF first become active and also make its affiliated units work with full commitment in the interest of national tennis. Our first target should be to qualify for the World Group of the Davis Cup and the target can be achieved with professional commitment, not through some causal attitude.
