CHANDIGARH, MARCH 31(Balbir Singh)Seven junior players from Pakistan are attending a three-week coaching camp under the supervision of Chandigarh Lawn Tennis Association coaches and physical trainer at the Sector 10 Tennis Stadium here from March 28 to April 17.
"We have come here for coaching under better playing conditions and facilities. India have a better tennis facilities as compared to Pakistan. With better and advanced coaching system, good physical trainers, our players are eager to train at the CLTA Complex having a number of synthetic and clay courts. The number of trainees at CLTA is very encouraging," head of the Pakistan nine-member team, said Nazir Ahmed, when asked why they preferred to come to City Beautiful for training.
"I am confident that our young players would gain more confidence when they return to Pakistan after completing training here. More than 25 per cent improvement would be noticed after the 21-day coaching here," said Nazir Ahmed whose late father Chaudhary Chanan Din, was a national tennis coach of Pakistan.
Visiting for the first time 63-year-old Nazir said "we have been receiving good response since we crossed over to India via Wagha Border. The faces are same, culture is same, language is same, customs and traditions are same. Even hearts are same. The Pakistan players and officials are feeling at home."
Nazir said that Khurram Nazir and Syed Zohair Raza have been earlier to India. They attended a coaching camp in Jassowal in Punjab. They will also play in the AITA Super Series starting on April 5 at the CLTA Stadium here. They Pakistan players are also watching top Indian and foreign players in action in the $10,000 ITF Men’s Futures Tennis Tournament, the main draw of which began today.
Regarding the PHF’s efforts to promote tennis in Pakistan, Nazir Ahmed said " the Pakistan Tennis Federation is making an all out effort to provide better facilities for training to the players. A full-fledged modern tennis complex in Islamabad has been established. It is a big project which is also most completed. With six synthetic cours and four clay courts, with floodlit facilities, it will be new milestone for tennis. PTF president Dilawar Abbas and sectary general Rashid Khan are behind the wonderful project," The huge tennis complex is likely to be inaugurated in a month’s time.
The Punjab (Pakistan) Lawn Tennis Association has also created four synthetic courts at Bagh-e-Jinnah in Lahore. These are floodlit courts. "I am sure with such facilities, Pakistan would produce more world class players," concluded Mr Nazir Ahmed.
The Pakistan trainees are:Khurram Nazir, Syed Muhamad Abbas Raza, Syed Zohair Raza, Gohar Riaz, Muhammad Waqas Malak, Muhammad Rehan Qureshi and Salman Ikram.
Officials: Mrs Shela Rehan and Nazir Ahmed.