NEW DELHI: The Davis Cup conflict between India and Pakistan is poised to mark a historic second for tennis in Pakistan, aiming to inject enthusiasm and breathe new life into the game that has suffered as a result of absence of worldwide occasions over the previous decade.
The final time an Indian Davis Cup group visited Pakistan was in 1964, making this tie a really historic occasion.
The choice to carry the tie in Pakistan was supported by the Worldwide Tennis Federation (ITF), which assured that Indian gamers wouldn’t face any safety issues.
Worldwide sporting occasions in Pakistan got here to a standstill after the 2009 assault on the Sri Lankan cricket group bus in Lahore, resulting in the nation being barred from internet hosting world-level tournaments throughout sports activities.
The affect was important, affecting tennis development, as Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) couldn’t host junior ITF occasions, senior males’s Future tournaments, or ladies’s occasions. This hiatus additionally hindered the event of promising gamers.
The arrival of worldwide groups like Iran in 2017 and Japan in 2021 marked a constructive flip, however the pleasure reaches new heights when India and Pakistan compete.
Pakistan’s prime gamers, Aisam-ul-haq Qureshi and Aqeel Khan, expressed their anticipation and hope that this Davis Cup tie may open doorways for extra sporting occasions between the 2 nations.
Aisam-ul-haq Qureshi, the one Pakistani participant competing on the ATP Tour, stated, “For me, it is essentially the most historic tie, most likely. I’m tremendous excited to be a part of it. I believe it’s going to promote tennis in Pakistan, positively.”
Aqeel Khan, a nationwide growth director and head coach of Pakistan’s Nationwide Tennis Centre, highlighted the challenges the nation confronted within the absence of worldwide tennis and the potential affect of the India-Pakistan tie.
“In 2018, we had lower than 2000 junior gamers registered with us. After worldwide tennis restarted, the quantity went to 50,000 from 2000, and the problem was to retain them.”
The tie is anticipated to generate important curiosity, eyeballs, and sponsorships, offering a much-needed enhance to tennis in Pakistan. The anticipation is excessive, with hopes that the historic tie will pave the best way for extra worldwide sports activities occasions and collaboration between India and Pakistan.
(With inputs from PTI)