The SICAS Punjab Junior Tennis Championship 2025 began on Saturday at the Punjab Tennis Academy in Bagh-e-Jinnah, Lahore with a formal opening ceremony led by Rashid Malik, SEVP of the PLTA, who inaugurated the event as chief guest. The opening drew a strong local turnout including former Davis Cup player Haseeb Aslam, Shaheen Butt, Director Sports SICAS, tournament organiser Faheem Siddiqui, coaches, parents and members of the media.
Rashid Malik conveyed his best wishes to all participants and urged the young competitors to pursue the sport with zeal and passion so they can become a source of pride for Pakistan. Shehryar Salamat, Director SICAS, also praised Mr Malik for his ongoing support and efforts to promote tennis across the province.
The Punjab Junior Tennis competition moved straight into match play on the opening day with several ties decided across age categories. In the boys U-18 first round, Ameer Khokhar defeated Murtaza Hassan 6-0, Zayd Mansoor beat Hany Qadeer 6-0, M Umar Ali overcame Ahmad Khuda Bakhsh 6-0, Ohad e Mustafa won against Haroon Arif 2-0 and Aliyan Ali prevailed over Hassan Alam 6-1.
In the boys U-14 round, Romail Shahid recorded a 6-0 victory over Abdullah Khaliq, Ayan Khan advanced when Ahmad Khuda Bakhsh retired at 3-2, Mustafa Uzair Khan beat Kublie Sheikh 6-0, Daniyal Afzal Malik won 6-4 against Ismail Daha and Shahzain Faisal defeated Zayd Mansoor 6-2.
The boys U-12 first round saw Daniyal Abdullah beat Tanzeel Sajjad 6-0, Rashid toppling Mustafa Zia 6-2, Uzair Khan defeating Mamnoon Bari 6-3 and Pirzada Wajih winning 6-0 over M Ehsan Bari. The early rounds highlighted promising talent across junior ranks and set the tone for competitive play throughout the tournament.
The SICAS Punjab Junior Tennis event aims to provide a strong platform for young players across Punjab to gain competitive experience and showcase emerging talent, with organisers and guests stressing the importance of continued coaching, discipline and support at the grassroots level.
