Aqeel Khan, the hero of Pakistan's success against South Korea in the Davis Cup last September, used guile and power to wear down Nomi Qamar, another Davis Cupper, at the hard courts of two clubs of Karachi to run away with two tennis titles. The weather was pleasant and the fans enjoyed the combats to the fill, though on both occasions the finals were played on working days.
Certainly the programme could have been better arranged. Any way moderate crowds at the Karachi Gymkhana and Karachi Club had gathered to welcome the finalists, Aqeel Khan of Modern Club, and Nomi of Avari Towers where his father hones the strokeplay of some youngsters as also the VIPs.
The Karachi Gymkhana event was decently organised by none other than Begum Shahida Farooq Sattar, whose organisation Sabh-e-Nau, is doing a wonderful job against pollution. It was surprising how she went ahead rather single-handedly to invite the participants to a ranking tournament without the sponsorship of the multinationals.
The prize money was her own investment. Hers was a laudable effort for it was after five years that the National Hard Court competition was revived. Begum Farooq is herself a fine competitive tennis player and had been encouraging her daughter to work hard on accurate, deep ground strokes to wrap up titles both in Karachi and Islamabad.
Now that Shahida Farooq has taken the initiative and given the cue to the tennis promoters and enthusiasts one hopes that the Governor's Cup too will not be ignored. Certainly Begum Shahida's help will hopefully be forthcoming in this respect for the significance of the Governor's Cup cannot be belittled.
Aqeel took some time to settle down in the final of the National Hard Court for he committed too many unforced errors, to the surprise of the onlookers.
However, once the athletic-built Aqeel got going in the second set with his formidable volleys and double-fisted drives there was no stopping him. He had considerable edge over Nomi, a short-stature player who races well to cover the court. There were limited strokes in the baseliner who tried to stem the series of hard drives of Aqeel with feeble volleys and what were monotonous rallies.
One expects Aqeel to be more steady, if not violent, at the hard court competitions. He had to improve his first service and must come to the mid-court for the kill for that is the mode of the modern big game. With a fierce determination to tame rivals, including foreigners as he did against South Korea to help Pakistan retain her place in the Asia-Oceania Group-I, Aqeel can go up the ladder with boundless stamina and the controlled strokes that he has. He has variations in his courtcraft and accelerations for irrepressible strokes.
Rasheed Malik and Aqeel Khan picked up the gauntlet against Mohammad Shafiq and Ali Bhagat and comfortably won the doubles title, which gave a double crown to Aqeel. However, most of the fans felt as to what gain the country is to get from a pairing of a veteran with a youngster. Malik is a former national champion and now a good manager and coach. He should participate in tournaments with veterans.
The enthusiasts of the game would have been happiers if Aqeel and Nomi Qamar would have been fielded as partners. That would have been nice training for the two Davis Cuppers. A Rasheed Malik and Aqeel combination cannot be acceptable to tennis fans. Is Malik going to represent the country in the Davis Cup doubles in the upcoming tussle against Thailand.
Mariam Rahim beat off the challenge of Ameena Hamid to warp the women's singles title of the National Hard Court as also the honour of the later organised contest at the Karachi Club, where the 14-year-old girl was the opponent of the Lahore-based winner.
It was straight-sets success for Aqeel in the next competition at the Karachi Club, the Salma Noorani Cup. The late-comers must have missed the flowing strokes and the vigorous drives down both franks of the court.
This was Aqeel's fourth consecutive win in a ranking tournament before the year ended and a new one was ushered in. He has already wrapped up the titles of two Peshawar contests - the CAS Khyber Cup and the Federation Cup.
Full of life and vigour Aqeel simply overwhelmed Nomi Qamar by sheer pace of attack and occasional angles. The winner was authoritative in his approach work and gave little chance with his kicking shots and variegated strokes. However, credit must be given to Nomi for the fight he put up in both the hard court competitions.
Mariam again proved too good for Ameena who had dumped many senior players in the earlier rounds. She needs improvement in her tactics and strokes.
The two tournaments came as a considerable enjoyment to the much-starved tennis enthusiasts of Karachi. Let the Sindh tennis body organise the Governor's Cup.
The preparations for the Davis Cup are starting in Karachi for the weather conditions here are better for the camp. Aisamul Haq is outside the country but may be joining the drills soon. Let's hope the players are in perfect fitness to face the Thai rivals.
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