ISLAMABAD, Aug 30: Pakistan’s most-capped Davis Cupper Hamidul Haq has lauded the election of new leadership in the Punjab Lawn Tennis Association (PLTA) as a first step towards betterment of the game in the province.

“With the advent of new leadership, I foresee a bright future of tennis in the province of Punjab which had not produced a single Davis Cup player in the last three years”, said Hamidul Haq—the only tennis player to have been awarded Pride-of-Performance.

He said Aisam no doubt, belonged to the province of Punjab but the credit for his rise went to his family and not to PLTA which had been run by almost the same set of office-bearers for the last 15 years, leading to a rot in the affairs of this organisation.

“It is a tribute to the new national sports policy that new blood was infused in the recent elections in the hierarchy of PLTA which had been run by the same people for 15 years now, led by its erstwhile secretary Bashir Gill”, said Hamid.

Hamid won both the Under-40 and Under-35 titles in the Asian Veterans Open Tennis Championship at Pattaya (Thailand) last week. He defended his over-40 crown and bagged the Under-35 title in his first appearance in that category.

He hoped the new office-bearers of PLTA would work zealously for the development of tennis in Punjab and for the welfare of tennis players who had been handed a raw deal during the previous management of PLTA.

Fayyaz Bashir has been elected as chairman, Amanullah Shahani as president and Zahid Zafar as secretary in the recent elections of PLTA with most of the old guard not eligible to contest under the new sports policy which bars to hold more than two terms of four years each in any federation.

Meanwhile, secretary Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF), Maj. (r) Rashid has welcomed the double success of Hamidat the Asian Veterans Open Tennis Championship.

“He has brought the country a good name as he has always done in the past”, Maj. Rashid said. “He has been one of the best tennis players of the country,” he added.—APP