KARACHI - Pakistan’s top tennis star Aisamul Haq Qureshi praised UBL for supporting tennis by sponsoring the UBL International hard court championships and hoped that other companies and banks would follow the example sat by the bank.
He said sponsorship was financial spine of every sports and more so of tennis which had suffered in the country because of the financial backing. There was huge talent in Pakistan but due to the lack of resources and financial backing, some of the talented players could not reach the place they deserved in the country and aboard.
Multinational corporations and government should come forward and give the sport financial prod that it deserved. He said the money given at the current championship that concluded here at Karachi Gymkhana was good. There should be more money for the participants and at the same time, he advised the players across the country to raise the standard of the game through personal dedication and hard work. Once they succeeded at various levels, their success would be noticed and the sponsors would not mind them when they felt that spending money would be worth it.
He said Pakistan was full of talented players. It was the responsibility of the Pakistan Tennis Federation and the government to lay down plans to groom them and help them to improve their standard and this could only be done if the players were properly looked after.
Aisam with his wife Faha Akmal especially came to Karachi at the invitation of the sponsors to witness the final of the Rs one million rupee prize carrying championships.
After the final of the championship, Aisam partnering with Usman Rafiq played one-set exhibition doubles match against pair of Aqeel Khan and Abid Mushtaq. Aqeel and partner won the set 6-4.
Aisam started the match serving an ace to his Davis Cup partner and won huge applause of large number of spectators who had especially come to see Aisam who was playing in Karachi after many years.
He had played at Karachi Gynkhana as junior players but because of his international commitments, he could not play in events organised in Karachi.
The visiting Sri Lankan players were also at Karachi Gymkhana to witness the final and also watch Aisam in action.