Sahiwal hosts major national tennis event after nearly three decades
Sahiwal hosts major national tennis event after nearly three decades
National-level ranking tennis made a historic return to Sahiwal after more than 27 years as the All Pakistan Juniors/Seniors National Ranking Tennis Championship 2026 commenced at Sahiwal Club, attracting more than 150 players from across the country.
The six-day championship, running from June 2 to June 7, has brought together some of Pakistan’s leading and emerging tennis talent to compete in a wide range of junior, senior and men’s categories.
The tournament features men’s singles and doubles (Punjab Ranking), seniors 45+ and 55+ doubles, boys and girls U-18, U-14 and U-12 singles and doubles events, along with boys and girls U-10 singles competitions.
The opening ceremony was attended by Commissioner Sahiwal Division Dr Asif Tufail as chief guest, while Deputy Commissioner Sahiwal Capt (R) Samiullah Farooq graced the occasion as guest of honour. The event drew a large gathering of players, coaches, parents, sports enthusiasts and members of the local tennis community.
The championship is being conducted under the supervision of renowned tennis administrator and former Davis Cup player Rashid Malik, recipient of the Sitara-i-Imtiaz and Tamgha-i-Imtiaz, who is serving as tournament director. Faheem Siddiqui is the tournament referee, while Hamza Naeem is coordinating the event.
Rashid Malik is heading the disciplinary committee while Salman Habib (Sports Secretary), Mian Naveed Malik, Ch Asif and Nathan Asher are members. The organizing committee is being headed by Hassan Said and its members are Hamza Naeem, Ch Hamza, Dr Ali and Zeeshan Sheikh.
Speaking on the occasion, Commissioner Dr Asif Tufail praised the joint efforts of Sahiwal Club and the district administration for bringing a major national sporting event back to the city after nearly three decades. “It is a matter of pride for Sahiwal to host such a prestigious championship. We look forward to witnessing high-quality and competitive tennis throughout the week,” he said while wishing all participants success.
Addressing the participants, Rashid Malik encouraged young players to compete with determination and sportsmanship, urging them to pursue excellence and strive to represent Pakistan with distinction at the international level. “I would especially like to thank Commissioner Sahiwal Dr Asif Tufail for hosting this event in Sahiwal and hoped that it will be conducted every year here.”
Meanwhile in the men’s singles first round, Shahzaib Hassan, Ahmad Hameed, Zakir Ullah, Hassan Kamran, Suleiman Junaid and Alyas Khan advanced comfortably to the next stage. In the boys U-18 category, Ahtesham Humayun, Ahmad Shuja Rehman, Rashid Ali Bachani, Shayan Afridi and Abdul Basit secured victories.
While the U-14 competition saw M Ahsan Bari, Ali Muntazim, Behroze Memon, Haseeb Mustafa and Shayan Afridi progress after impressive opening-round performances. The tournament is being supported by Cheezious, Adams Foods, Sahiwal Club members, the Commissioner Office and the Deputy Commissioner Office.
