Islamabad (Cliff News)The Annual General Meeting of the Pakistan Tennis Federation was held at the S. Dilawar Abbas – PTF Tennis complex. Mr. Salim Saifullah Khan, President of PTF, chaired the meeting, and Kh. Saeed Hai, SEVP, S. Dilawar Abbas, Patron, Iftikhar Rashid, SEVP, Muhammad Khalid Rehmani Secretary – PTF, members of management Committee and representatives of PTF affiliated units, Navy, Airforce, Sindh, KP, ITA , SNGPL, Wapda, PSTA attended the meeting.Mr. Salim Saifullah Khan, while thanking ITF President, David Haggerty, and other ITF Board Directors, and members of the Davis Cup Committee, for allotting the Davis Cup tie to Pakistan, also expressed gratitude to Mr. Anil Khanna, President of Asian Tennis Federation, for his all-out support at all forums to get the Tie for Pakistan. The PTF will invite Mr. Anil Khanna as a guest of honor at the Davis Cup tie. The President PTF also offered a regional Office for Asian Tennis Federation at PTF, Islamabad. He informed the House that the tie will be played on Synthetic Hard Courts of PSB. Additionally, he had asked the IPC Minster to help to build three to four grass courts at PSB, on a war-footing, so that the next tie, due in April 2017, may be played on grass. It is pertinent to mention that most of Pakistan’s wins at home, have been on grass, and Aqeel & Aisam are extremely good on grass courts. Mr. Salim Saifullah informed the house that the President and Prime Minster of Pakistan had conveyed their congratulations to PTF for getting the Davis Cup tie after 12 long years. Furthermore, he expressed since thanks to the PM and the Government of Pakistan who had approved a Rupees 50 million ‘investment grant’ for the Pakistan Tennis Federation and which we expect to be received soon. Dr. Aamir Murad, President of the POF Sports Control Board (Wah), offered to hold two back-to-back ITF Futures (Men’s Professional Circuit events), with 15000 Us Dollars prize money, each, sometime in 2017 at the POF facilities in Wah. This was appreciated by the Council Members as this is expected to bring in more foreign players to Pakistan.
Muhammad Khalid Rehmani informed all present that, after a decade, the Pakistan Tennis Federation was able to hold 10 international Championships in the country during 2016, including four Asian Tennis Tour (ATT) men’s professional Championships. Moreover, this was first time ever that PTF organized 11 tournaments with cash prizes above five lac rupees. Before this year, only one or two such events were being held in the country. He was hopeful that in 2017, two to three more 500,000 plus prize money events would be added in 2017. PTF is also introducing a new circuit for boys and girls of ten and under age groups, with the name of Lobbing Love Tennis Ten Series from Jan 2017, in collaboration with the same named academy in Houston, Texas. It will carry National Ranking points.
The President – PTF informed all that PTF is working on leasing a piece of land at Lahore & Karachi to build PTF’s own Sports Complex at both cities.
The House also approved operational rules on age assessments and eligibility for junior players, to curb the malpractice amongst juniors to conceal their actual age by producing forged documents.From January 2017, there would be no Prize Money for junior events, as per ITF rules. The same amount shall be spent on Juniors Development program by the sponsors as per PTF rules, and players will get a combination of tennis equipment and Tennis Training Allowance instead. The sponsorship allocated amount will remain as before so that an incentive to juniors may be secured. House also approved officiating reforms and enhanced the fee of qualified yellow Badge Umpires from January 2017. Minimum of four qualified Umpires would be required for each national tournament, at least one being from another city. The Cuncil was also informed that trials for selection of the Davis Cup team for the Feb tie would commence at the PTF on the 30th of Dec.
Kh. Saeed hai , SEVP garlended the president for out standing performence during last two years . His achivments in bring in the huge and record breaking sponsorships from Commercial houses and Government as well.