Pakistan have suffered greatly from the absence of international sporting events over the past decade. The Pakistan tennis community is optimistic that the upcoming visit of the Indian Davis Cup team for a ‘historic tie’ will infuse fresh enthusiasm and provide a significant boost to the sport in the country.
The last occasion when an Indian Davis Cup team visited Pakistan was as far back as 1964. Although the All India Tennis Association (AITA) initially showed reluctance to send its team this year, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) dismissed its appeal. The ITF unequivocally stated that there are no grounds to believe that Indian players will face any security issues in Pakistan.
Following the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team bus in Lahore in March 2009, international sporting events in Pakistan came to a standstill. Consequently, the country was prohibited from hosting world-level tournaments across various sports.
The Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) faced challenges in hosting both junior ITF events and senior men's Future tournaments. Additionally, there were no women's events, and no Davis Cup teams visited Pakistan until 2017.
This absence significantly affected tennis in Pakistan, which lagged behind cricket in terms of popularity in the country. Many promising players were compelled to abandon the sport due to limited growth opportunities and exposure.
Players who competed at the U14 level often struggled to transition to the men's level, and participating in ITF events abroad posed financial challenges for both Pakistani and Indian players due to the high costs involved.
Changes began to occur in 2017 when Iran sent its teams to Islamabad. The arrival of Asian powerhouse Japan in 2021 also had a positive impact.
However, the excitement and anticipation are unmatched when India and Pakistan face off in Pakistan.
The reactions from Pakistan's top players, Aisam-ul-haq Qureshi and Aqeel Khan, encapsulated the excitement surrounding the event. They are optimistic that this tie could potentially lead to the Indian cricket team visiting Pakistan.
"We are very, very excited and happy, finally the Indian Davis Cup team is here. I have always believed that we should keep politics, religion, culture away from sports. That's the beauty of the sport and being a sportsman. I have always vouched for that," Aisam, the only Pakistan player competing on ATP Tour, told PTI.
"For me it's the most historical tie, probably. I am super excited to be part of it. I think it is going to promote tennis in Pakistan, definitely.
“Already, it has created hype that Indian team is there officially. Hopefully, it will break the barriers. In this tie, the security measures you will see, I don't think there will be any problems or issues related to that.”
"I would be happy if this Davs Cup tie pushes the Indian cricket team to come to Pakistan and help us see India-Pakistan cricket matches as well. Inshaallah, there will be good atmosphere and a memorable tie for both the teams." Asim Shafiq, national development director and also head coach of Pakistan's National Tennis Centre, shared how the country suffered in the last 12 years.
"In 2018, we had less than 2000 junior players registered with us. After international tennis restarted, the number went to 50,000 from 2000 and the challenge was to retain them. There is no concept of public courts in Pakistan," Asim, who was part of the Pakistan Davis Cup team that competed in Mumbai in 2006, said.
In Pakistan, individuals must be members of gymkhanas, clubs, or forces-affiliated clubs in order to play tennis, unlike in India where players can simply pay to book a court and play. However, there are numerous football and cricket academies that are readily accessible.
"Only 10 percent of those registered players can enjoy the benefits of memberships. So, how to retain those players after the age of 10, that's a challenge," he said.
HOW INDIA-PAKISTAN TIE WILL HELP?
"The eyeballs that we are expecting to generate through this tie will be the best ever in history. We used to run after the sponsors and now we are being chased," claimed Asim.
It has been learnt that an internal competition is underway among contenders such as oil companies and banks, as they strive to outbid each other for the title sponsorship.
"We were in wilderness in those 12 years. But now, when a huge team like India is in Pakistan, it will give that boost. There is no PSL and no match of national cricket team scheduled, so timing is also great," Asim said.
BETTER COVERAGE IS EXPECTED
Aqeel Khan is convinced that this tie stands out from other matches.
"We have competed against the best Asian teams like Japan and Uzbekistan but the Indian team is different. When India is here, media gets involved, fans get more excited and I am sure there is huge interest among sponsors also because more people will follow.”
"It will help Pakistan tennis overall because it will popularise the game further. Tennis is not that popular in Pakistan, so when matches will be against India, it should fill that gap," he said.
(Powered by AI, Inputs by PTI)
MORE ON SPORTS TAK:
'It will be 5-0 for...': Ex-England star makes outrageous prediction of Team India getting whitewashed at home by Ben Stokes & Co.
IND vs ENG: Sarfaraz Khan celebrates maiden India call-up with 6:30 AM net session at Mumbai maidan
Indian spinner climbs to second place in latest ICC women's T20I bowling rankings
