Islamabad - Pakistan Junior team stunned star-studded Islamabad Electricity Supply Cooperation (IESCO) 2-1 in the tennis series played here at Senator Dilawar Abbas PTF Tennis Complex Islamabad on Saturday.

The juniors, who are being trained by Davis Cuppers Hameed-ul-Haq and Mushaf Zia in the newly-started PTF National Academy, are being provided with regular matches against different teams and opponents weekly to judge their strength and weaknesses. It was the second series, in which juniors were pitted against IESCO players, who are vastly experienced.

In the first match, youngster Shoaib Khan was pitted against highly experienced Usman Ejaz, who had been selected for Davis Cup team against Philippines but dropped later when Aisam Qureshi had joined the camp. Usman started brilliantly and put Shoaib under tremendous pressure. But after surviving some anxious moments, Shaoiab settled down and played his natural game deep from the baseline. His powerful returns and pinpoint drop shots were the highlight of the day. He gained the cruise control of the first set by breaking 8th game of Usman to take 5-3 lead and then went on to hold onto his 9th game to clinch the set 6-3 in 45 minutes.

Second set was almost repeat of the first set as Usman played some powerful backhand shots and his service was also highly improved. It was battle royal as Usman was playing for pride, while Shoaib was playing fearless tennis as he was aware he had nothing to lose and his confidence was sky high, which proved to be the difference in the end as Usman was looking nervous and the fear of losing against a junior was too much for him. He made blunders in the 10thgame and Shoaib calmly broke Usman’s serve to take the second set 6-4 in 48 minute, thus registering one of the most memorable victories of his career and also gave Pakistan Juniors 1-0 upper hand.

It was do or dioe situation for IESCO as losing the second match would spell disaster and end of the road. The responsibility of keeping IESCO in the match rested on the shoulders of none other than Davis Cupper Hameed-ul-Haq’s son Jibran ul Haq. Jibran thrashed Saqib 6-1 in first set but got relaxed in second and allowed Saqib to stage a comeback which he dully obliged by winning second set 6-2. Knowing the fact, that he had to win the match and also Hameed is keeping very furious eyes on him, Jibran bounced back in style to outclass Saqib in the third set 6-1 to keep the series alive. Yousaf Khan was pitted against experienced Raja Shahid in decider, who had won number of junior titles and a product of Islamabad Tennis Complex, run by former Davis Cup coach Fazle Subhan. Yousaf showed tremendous fighting skills and took the first set 6-3. Shahid took the second set 6-4. Third set was played on high tempo and both players displayed top tennis, but it was Yousaf, who finally prevailed and took third set 6-3 to give the series to Pakistan Juniors.

PTF Senior Vice President Iftakhar Rasheed along with SVP Khawar Hayat and Aidar Mardenov (Political Secretary – Kazakhstan Embassy) witnessed the matches.