Ravi Cup ATF Asian Junior Tour U-12 inaugurated in Lahore
LAHORE: The Ravi Cup ATF Asian Junior Tour U-12 2026 was inaugurated at the Sports Board Punjab Tennis Academy, Nishtar Park Sports Complex, Lahore, with Secretary Youth Affairs and Sports Punjab Fazal-ur-Rehman inaugurating the international junior tennis event.
The championship, organised by the Punjab Lawn Tennis Association (PLTA), has attracted promising boys and girls from across Pakistan, providing them with a valuable opportunity to compete on the international junior circuit on home soil.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, chief guest Fazal-ur-Rehman lauded the Punjab Lawn Tennis Association and PLTA Senior Executive Vice President Rashid Malik for their continued services and efforts to promote and develop tennis in Punjab.
He said the Punjab government would extend its all-out support for the betterment of the sport and assured the tennis community that further steps would be taken to strengthen the facilities available to young players.
He particularly praised the Sports Board Punjab Tennis Academy at Nishtar Park Sports Complex, describing it as an important centre for nurturing future tennis talent.
He assured that the state-of-the-art facility would be further improved and that the renovation of centre court would also be completed well in time. He added that more national and international tennis events would be organised at the venue to provide players with greater opportunities to compete and develop.
The Secretary Sports Punjab also appreciated Rashid Malik’s contribution to the promotion of tennis and expressed hope that the tennis nursery at Nishtar Park would continue to grow under the guidance of the capable coaches of Sports Board Punjab.
The opening ceremony was attended by PLTA President Captain (R) Fazeel Asghar,
PLTA SEVP Rashid Malik, Sitara-e-Imtiaz and Tamgha-e-Imtiaz, PLTA Vice President Junior Development Aneesa Agha; White Badge Referee Arif Qureshi; Nishtar Park Sports Complex Administrator Usman Taj; Tournament Coordinator Faheem Siddiqui, besides players, parents, coaches and media representatives.
Aneesa Agha, patron of the Ravi Cup, said the event marked an important step towards bringing international junior tennis back to Lahore after a long gap.
She thanked Fazal-ur-Rehman for allocating the Nishtar Park venue for the tournament and expressed the hope that PLTA and Sports Board Punjab would continue their cooperation to create more international opportunities for young Pakistani players.
The ATF event is particularly significant as it enables U-12 players to gain international exposure and earn ranking points on home soil, which can help them secure opportunities in the main draws of overseas junior tournaments, she added.
Rashid Malik wished all participants success and urged them to compete with zeal and passion, work hard and aim to become a source of pride for Pakistan. Malik also thanked Aneesa Agha of The Ravi for sponsoring the event and Secretary Sports Punjab Fazal-ur-Rehman and his entire team for their support in promoting tennis in Punjab.
Meanwhile on the second day, M. Faizan defeated Majid Ali Bachani 7-5, 6-0, while M. Daniyal overcame M. Rohaan Dogar 6-0, 6-1. Behroze Maimoon Wander edged Riyan Omer Khalil 6-4, 3-6, 10-8. Ali Bukhari beat Fahad Mustafa 6-3, 7-5, Salaar Khan defeated Ghulam Murtaza Monnoo 6-2, 6-1, and Wali M. Hassaan blanked Hashir Mustafa 6-0, 6-0.
In the girls’ U-12 round-robin matches, Amalia Aidrus beat Rahimeen Jazib 6-0, 6-0, Wajeeha Fatima defeated Haniya Omer 6-0, 6-0, and Shahreen Umer overcame Zara Aidrus 6-1, 7-5. Dua Qureshi defeated Eman Shahbaz 6-4 before the latter retired.
