ISLAMABAD, Dec 17: Top players of the country including Aqeel Khan and Asim Shafik are to take part in the 4th All-Pakistan Siraj-ul-Haq Memorial Open Tennis Championship that begins here on Dec 25.

Having the blessings of the Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) the tournament also features such players as Nomi Qamar, Shahzad Khan and Saeedul Haq.

The events to be contested are men’s singles, junior U-18, boys singles U-14, singles U-12, girls U-18 and U-14.

The late Siraj, father of Pakistan tennis greats Inam, Islam and Hameed was India’s professional champion for a decade before partition.

He also played a vital role in development of the sport in Pakistan. More than a dozen players trained by him went on to become internationals.

His son Hameed, who is the chief organiser of the tournament, told Dawn that the draws would be decided at the Khawaja Iftikhar Pavilion of the Pakistan Tennis Complex on Dec 24.