PESHAWAR : Pakistan’s most Davis Cupper and international tennis player Aqeel Khan clinched the trophy of the 36th Chief of Air Staff Khyber Cup Open Tennis Championship for 18 times played here at PAF Office Mess lush Green Tennis Courts on Wednesday.
Vice Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Asad Abdur Rehman Lodhi was the chief guest on this occasion. Air Vice Marshal Athar Shams, Air Officer Commanding Northern Air Command, Base Commander Peshawar Base Air Commodore Irfan Zaka, High Ranking Military and Civil Officials, Organizing Secretary Flt. Lt. Inam Ullah Khan were also present and witnessed the match.
Aqeel was in his peak form now a day as playing for Pakistan in the Davis Cup, besides winning all leading tournament including the prestigious Chief of the Air Staff Khyber Cup Open.
Aqeel has the honor of winning the Championship for 18 times and only one or two times the rains abundant the match, otherwise he had a good track record in the CAS Khyber Cup. “I love to play the CAS Khyber Cup Open as I have a strong feeling about the Championshipâ€, a jubilant Aqeel Khan told APP after winning the Men singles title by defeating Shehzad Khan in a straight sets, the score was 6-3 and 6-4.
“I wish one day a young champion come up and stop my wining spree,†Aqeel added. “I enjoyed the play in the Khyber Cup Open because of the well prepared and lush green grassy courts, the best in Pakistan,†he remarked.
In a question about winning the Championship for 18 years, Aqeel said, “I don’t think any young player would come up as most of the youngsters did not believe in hard work and without hard work one cannot think of a success.†Both Aqeel and Shehzad gave each other a tough fight but Aqeel has full command over his forceful double handed smashes with some good Ace serve were also witnessed which were largely enjoyed by capacity crowd witnessed the thrilling final.
In other categories of the total six categories event, 190 players from all across the country. In the Under-10 category Shasawar defeated Arsaland Khan by 2-1, the score was 6-2, 3-6 and 6-4, in the Under-14 category Faizan Shahid beat Sami Zain by 6-1, 7-5 (6-6).
In the Under-18 Muhammad Shoaib beat Ahmad Kamil by 2-0, 7-5 and 7-6 in a thrilling match enjoyed by large number of spectators. In the Veterans doubles category Irfan Ullah and Mehmood Khan of PAF beat Israr Gul and Jehanzeb by 2-0, 6-3 and 6-4 while in the Men doubles category Shehzad and Yasir beat Aqeel and Hira Ashaq by 2-0, the score was 7-5 and 7-5.
At the end, the chief guest gave away trophies and cash prizes to the winners and runners-up.
