THE anguish of Aqeel Khan (Feb 22) on the future of tennis in Pakistan is shared by many in the country who enjoy playing and watching this wonderful sport. Without saying so, Aqeel is implicitly demanding better sponsorship for the game at the government and the public level. He has a point.

Tennis players have traditionally come from elite classes who could invest time and money in pursuit of their indulgence. These days with money thrown in by commercial organisations, vistas have opened up for others also but essentially it remains the rich man’s domain.

To play quality tennis, an aspirant has to have fitness of a short distance runner, elasticity of a gymnast, eye of an eagle and an instinct to strike for the kill.

It is a strenuous sport that demands eight to nine hours of hard play daily which leaves little time for other activities. To feed and maintain such ‘a good for nothing else tennis buff’ also requires good money.

So, what can we do to address the writer’s concern? Tennis federations in the country could help by holding more tournaments in coordination and cooperation with educational institutions and make the events attractive by inviting international players, obviously on sponsorship from the government or big MNCs. This will increase quantity and improve quality. National-level employer organisations could take a leaf from the books of Rodham and Nur Khan. Open up their doors for talented boys and girls dedicated to tennis.

M. Zafar
Karachi