LAHORE – Muhammad Shoaib, Muhammad Abid, Mudassar Murtaza and other players reached the quarterfinals of the Sheikhoo Steel Pakistan Open Tennis Championship 2023 here at the Sports Board Punjab Tennis Academy, Nishtar Park on Monday.
In the men’s singles pre-quarterfinals, M Shoaib beat Mahatir 6-1, 6-2, Muhammad Abid beat Hamid Israr 6-1, 6-4, Mudassar Murtaza beat Uzair Khan 6-2, 6-0, Heera Ashiq beat Ahmad Chaudhry 6-4, 7-5, Ahmad Nael Qureshi beat Shehzad Khan 2-6, 6-4, 6-3, Yousaf Khalil beat M Salaar 6-2, 6-1.
In the ladies pre-quarterfinals, Noor Malik beat Laiba Iqbal Khan 6-0, 6-0. In the girls U-18 quarterfinals, Lala Rukh beat Zainab Ali 6-0, 6-1, Soha Ali beat Sheeza Sajid 6-0, 6-1, Amna Ali Qayum beat Marukh 6-0, 6-0, Fajar Fayyaz beat Labika Durab 5-7, 6-1, 6-3.
In the boys U-16 1st round, Syed Mahad Shehzad beat Abdullah Raza 6-3, 6-3, Shahsawar Khan beat Eesa Fahad 6-0, 6-1, M Haziq Asim beat M Uzair 6-1, 6-1, Haziq Areejo beat Abdullah 6-2, 6-3, M Talha Khan beat M Sohaan Noor 6-3, 6-3, Inam Qadir beat Saif 7-6, 6-1, Abdul Basit beat Abubakar Khalil 7-5, 6-3, Abubakar Talha beat Aalay Hussain 6-1, 6-1, Jawad Khan beat Hassan Alam 6-1, 6-1.
In the U-12 1st round, Rashid Ali Bachani beat Awais Zia 4-0, 4-1, Ahmad Hussain beat Muaz Shahbaz 4-0, 4-0, Bismel Zia beat Sahil Najoom 4-0, 4-0, Shayan Afridi beat M Faizan 4-2, 4-2, Mustafa Uzair Rana beat M Saif Ullah 4-1, 4-0, Abdul Malik beat Ohad e Mustafa 4-2, 4-2, M Ibraheem Hussain Gill beat Eesa Khan Malik 4-0, 4-0, Majid Ali Bachani beat Hamza Khan 4-1, 4-1, Ansari Ullah beat Aimen Rehan 4-2, 4-2, Ali Bachani beat Ameen Abdullah 4-0, 4-0, M Junaid beat Romail Shahid 4-0, 4-0, Maaz Areejo beat Ahmad Khuda Bakhsh 4-2, 5-3, Hajra Suhail beat M Ehsan Bari 4-0, 4-0.
Sharing his views, GM Marketing Sheikhoo Steel Mr. Junaid Naveed said: “In a nation where cricket headlines the sports section, tennis often remains in the shadows. This championship, however, aspires to shift the paradigm. By spotlighting tennis talents from diverse regions, it nudges the national narrative, positioning tennis not merely as a game of the elites but a sport for everyone.
“Delving deeper, Sheikhoo Steel’s commitment extends beyond mere sponsorship. With roots dating back to 1947, the Sheikhoo Group recognizes the importance of fostering grass-root initiatives. Their investment in this championship echoes a
dedication to nurturing tennis at foundational levels, promoting health across generations, and championing equality in sports – ensuring that tennis racquets swing as powerfully in female hands as in male ones.
“With a track record that includes producing Pakistan’s premier quality steel rebars, conquering significant market turf, and introducing global steel standards to Pakistan, Sheikhoo Steel demonstrates an enduring promise of excellence. As they foray into promoting sports, their aspirations remain clear: fortify foundations, celebrate tenacity, and envision a future where tennis resonates as loudly in Pakistan as the reverberating clang of quality steel,” Junaid Naveed added.
