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By Muhammad Shafique Raja
ISLAMABAD, Feb 19 (APP):Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) is set to promote tennis at the grassroots level to strengthen the country’s standing in the sport, said the President of PTF Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi on Wednesday.
In an exclusive chat with APP, the former world number eight in doubles emphasised the importance of youth development at the junior level to ensure a steady pipeline of talent for the future. “We’ve immense potential in tennis in Pakistan, but to produce world-class players we’ll have to focus at the grassroots level,” Aisam said.
“The PTF, along with key stakeholders has decided to focus on schools, academies and local clubs to identify and train budding players, enabling them to represent the country at the international level.” The tennis ace, who has been an ambassador for tennis in Pakistan for over two decades, revealed that the PTF was working on a structured approach to introduce tennis to children from a young age.
“We are planning to hold more junior tournaments and training camps across different cities. The idea is to make tennis more accessible to kids from all backgrounds, not just those who can afford expensive coaching,” he added.
According to Aisam, one of the key strategies includes collaborating with schools to introduce tennis as part of their extracurricular activities. “We need to take tennis to schools. If cricket, hockey and football can have structured school programmes, why not tennis?” he asked.
of the biggest challenges for young tennis players in Pakistan is the lack of proper facilities and coaching expertise. Aisam acknowledged this gap and said that the PTF was working on improving infrastructure and training local coaches to meet international standards. “There are very few international-standard tennis academies in Pakistan. We need to build more courts and hire certified coaches who can groom young talent the right way,” he explained.
“The federation is now committed to upgrading existing facilities and setting up new tennis centres in key cities,” said Aisam, who also opened the ACE Tennis Academy in 2023 with a focus on developing performance tennis nationwide. He also underlined the need for sponsorship and corporate support, saying that without financial backing, tennis players struggle to participate in international tournaments.
Aisam lauded the role of Director General Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) Yasir Pirzada to supporting tennis development initiatives. “We are inviting top foreign coaches to train our players and help sharpen their skills. “Recently renowned American tennis coach Robert Davis visited us to train our players, while another American tennis expert and trainer Lalovic is in Pakistan, training our players. “We are thankful to DG PSB for encouraging and cooperating with us in this regard. “His efforts to improve sports infrastructure and provide opportunities to young athletes are commendable.
“Players need exposure to international events. We must create funding mechanisms to support young talent so they don’t have to rely on personal resources to compete abroad,” Aisam added. As one of Pakistan’s most accomplished tennis players, the 44-year-old Aisam sees himself playing a key role in mentoring the next generation. “Talent should never be wasted due to financial constraints. I want to ensure that every child who dreams of playing tennis gets a fair chance,” he said.. The tennis star also called on the government and private sector to step up and support grassroots initiatives. “Tennis is an Olympic sport and if we invest in it today, we can see Pakistan players competing at the highest level in the future. The time to act is now,” he concluded.