KARACHI, Oct 8 The president of the Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) Senator Syed Dilawar Abbas may go for third successive term of four years provided he gets the nod of the Council.

Dilawar, who came at the helm of affairs in 2002 and was re-elected later, completes his second term on April 2 next year.

In an interview with Dawn, he threw light on his achievements — completion of PTF Tennis Complex in Islamabad, Pakistan's rise to World Group playoffs in 2005 and hosting eight ITF events - five Futures, three for men's and two for women's, and three ITF juniors' among others despite security concerns last year.

The five Futures alone involve US$50,000 as prize money besides other expenses.

The Council had already put its weight behind their chief by naming the PTF Complex after him in the last meeting held at Islamabad Club on Aug 17. If one goes by the record, there's every likelihood that Dilawar may stretch his run.

“People come and go and those who deliver are remembered for long,” he said. He singled out former PTF president Wasim Sajjad for his sincere efforts in getting the piece of land for the complex.Created on a sprawling area of nine-and-a-half acre, the facility was commissioned last year at a cost of Rs30.5 million.

According to PTF chief, with the addition of four new synthetic courts in the near future, it will become the country's biggest tennis complex to have 15 courts including 10 clay courts.

Dilawar, 60, who is also the vice president of the Asian Tennis Federation, said it was during his tenure that Pakistan climbed to the World Group playoffs where it lost to Chile.

He answered in affirmative when reminded that it was also during his tenure that Pakistan hit rock bottom (group III) for the first time ever.

“Our job is to provide maximum opportunities to players at home and abroad,” he said adding “it's not our duty to produce players.”

When asked whether he has reprimanded tennis ace Aisam for not representing the country in crucial Davis Cup ties, he said “Top players across the world have their prior committments and they make themselves available for Davis Cup provided there's no clash.”

He cited example of Andy Roddick who did not represent the US in the last Davis Cup, so did Roger Federer who skipped earlier Davis Cup matches.

The PTF chief disclosed that he had offered cash incentives of $3000 apiece to Aisam and Aqeel for winning their singles and $1500 for winning the doubles against Oman this year.

He said apart from Aisam and Aqeel, young players like Khurram Faizan, and Sameer Iftikhar were coming up fast. He added parents of a UK-based

Pakistani player had also shown their desire to send their son to play for the country.

Referring to the ladies circuit, he identified five to six girls — Sara Mehboob, Sara Mansoor, Saba Aziz, Natasha Afridi and Mehak Khokhar — who according to him are of equal standard.

It is, however, a dilemma that most of the youth from affluent class of the country chose tennis as a stepping stone for acquiring tennis scholarships in the US universities. A number of players have left the game half way only to proceed abroad for higher education.

Meanwhile, the jinx to host international sporting events at home is likely come to an end when two back-to-back ITF juniors' under-16 tennis tournaments gets into action at the Islamabad's PTF Complex from Oct 25.

“The PTF has made necessary boarding and lodging arrangements for foreigners at the PSB Sports Complex hostel for the safety of players,” the PTF chief Senator Dilawar Abbas said.

Normally, the PTF is not bound to extend accommodation to participants but it has agreed to the ITF request in the larger security interest.

Prodigies from at least 10 countries are expected to feature in the juniors' event.