Sahiwal tennis made a memorable comeback after more than 27 years as the All Pakistan Juniors and Seniors National Ranking Tennis Championship 2026 kicked off at Sahiwal Club, drawing more than 150 players from around the country. The six-day event, running from June 2 to June 7, features a comprehensive slate of categories including men’s singles and doubles (Punjab Ranking), seniors 45+ and 55+ doubles as well as boys and girls U-18, U-14, U-12 and U-10 singles and doubles competitions.
The opening ceremony saw Commissioner Sahiwal Division Dr Asif Tufail attend as chief guest while Deputy Commissioner Sahiwal Capt (R) Samiullah Farooq was the guest of honour, in a gathering that included players, coaches, parents and local tennis supporters. Commissioner Dr Asif Tufail praised the collaboration between Sahiwal Club and the district administration for reviving a national sporting event in the city and expressed hope for high-quality, competitive tennis throughout the week, wishing all participants success.
Rashid Malik, a noted tennis administrator and former Davis Cup player who holds the Sitara-i-Imtiaz and Tamgha-i-Imtiaz, is serving as tournament director and has been overseeing the championship. Faheem Siddiqui is the tournament referee while Hamza Naeem coordinates operational matters. Rashid Malik is also chairing the disciplinary committee alongside members Salman Habib, Mian Naveed Malik, Ch Asif and Nathan Asher, while the organising committee is led by Hassan Said with Hamza Naeem, Ch Hamza, Dr Ali and Zeeshan Sheikh among its members.
Addressing participants, Rashid Malik encouraged young athletes to pursue excellence with determination and sportsmanship and thanked Commissioner Dr Asif Tufail for bringing the event to Sahiwal, expressing the hope that the championship will be staged here annually. The presence of experienced officials and local administration has given a boost to Sahiwal tennis and raised expectations for stronger grassroots development in the region.
On the court, early matches produced decisive wins as Shahzaib Hassan, Ahmad Hameed, Zakir Ullah, Hassan Kamran, Suleiman Junaid and Alyas Khan advanced in the men’s singles first round. In the boys U-18 draw Ahtesham Humayun, Ahmad Shuja Rehman, Rashid Ali Bachani, Shayan Afridi and Abdul Basit moved through to the next stage, while the U-14 bracket saw M Ahsan Bari, Ali Muntazim, Behroze Memon, Haseeb Mustafa and Shayan Afridi register impressive opening-round victories.
The championship is backed by local and corporate support, with Cheezious and Adams Foods among the sponsors and logistical assistance from Sahiwal Club members and the offices of the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner. The successful staging of this national event is being watched closely by the local sports community and could mark the beginning of a sustained return of major tennis competitions to Sahiwal.
