ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s top-ranking Aqeel Khan won the PTF Masters Invitational Tennis Championship after defeating Abid Ali Akbar here on Thursday at the Pakistan Sports Complex.

In the final match of the seven-day long event which was played on the round-robin basis, Aqeel outclassed Abid in straight sets game 6-4, 6-0, 7-6(2).

The top-ranking player displaying quality game in the final which lasted two hours and 30 minutes won the first set 6-4 by breaking Abid’s ninth game.

Playing consistent game from the baseline, Aqeel completely outplayed his opponent by taking only 36 minutes to claim the second set 6-0 without conceding a single game.

In the third set, Aqeel who remained unbeaten throughout the tournament served at 5-4 but Abid broke him to level the score at five-all and then six-all with the set being decided on a tiebreak which was won by Aqeel 7-6 (2).

Also, Yasir Khan beat Ahmed Chaudhry 7-6(7), 6-0 (retired) in third position match with the former winning the first set 9-7.

Yasir also won the second set 6-0 without conceding a single game. However, Ahmed could not continue the game and conceded the match which lasted one hour and 26 minutes.

Pakistan Tennis Federation senior executive vice-president Iftikhar Rashid distributed the prizes among players in an impressive closing ceremony with Aqeel getting Rs75,000 as winner and Abid Rs50,000 as runner-up.

Pakistan Sports Board Director General Akhtar Nawaz Ganjera also witnessed the final and appreciated the standard of game shown by Aqeel and Abid.

Published in Dawn, August 28th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play