LAHORE   -  Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) President Salim Saifullah Khan has lauded the efforts of Punjab Lawn Tennis Association (PLTA) for promoting tennis at grassroots level across the province and hoped they would further contribute to help PTF’s achieve set goals.

Salim Saifullah said this during a meeting with PLTA President Iftikhar Ahmad Rao and Secretary Rashid Malik. PTF Senior Vice President Khawaja Suhail Iftikhar hosted the meeting at a local hotel, which was also attended by Pakistan tennis ace Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi and his father Ehtesham Qureshi.

The PTF chief said that during their four-year tenure, they have taken drastic steps to take Pakistan tennis to new heights and now they have plans to bring more international tennis to Pakistan and further uplift the game in the country.

“We have not only established four grass courts in the Pakistan Sports Board premises, but also inaugurated five state-of-the-art flexi-pave rubber surfaces, which are being used at the venues of US Open, Australia Open and other Grand Slam events. We are hosting the ITF junior events at these surfaces and will keep on conducting more and more international events here.”

Salim said that they have short and long terms plans to further flourish tennis in Pakistan and hopefully after winning the upcoming elections, they will implement them in true letter and spirit and also help Pakistan players in not only getting better facilities and infrastructure but also in taking part in maximum international events in the country and aboard.

“Unfortunately, we lack funds and sponsorships due to which many sports including tennis have been suffering. If government provides us funds and corporate sector plays its due role in tennis promotion, the time will not be so far, when Pakistan tennis will be among the top tennis-playing nations in Asia,” the PTF chief added.

Senior Vice President Khawaja Suhail, on this occasion, mentioned it is unprecedented that such measures for tennis promotion were undertaken by any PTF president in the past. “Salim Saifullah is a passionate tennis player and lover, who is taking keen interest and personal initiatives to hold as many junior and men’s international events at home soil. He is also updating Pakistan tennis infrastructure in a professional and dedicated way, which has benefited the game and players in so many ways.”

PLTA President Iftikhar Ahmad Rao and Secretary Rashid Malik thanked Salim Saifullah and senior vice president Khawaja Suhail for acknowledging their services for promotion of tennis in Punjab. They vowed to conduct more and more tennis events and also urged the PTF chief to grant them ITF Junior events, which they assured to host at PLTA courts in a professional and befitting manner.

“We have conducted record 40 events in 2018 and we are further committed to organise more. We have just one aim to contribute for Pakistan tennis, which gave us name and fame and we want to pay back by producing champions for the country. If PTF, government and corporate sector help us in conducting national and international events next year, we are keen to double the numbers of events and host them in a trend-setting manner,” the PLTA officials asserted.