KARACHI, April 18: Defending champion and top seed Aqeel Khan kept his winning run intact when he overcame fighting third seed Asim Shafik in three agonising sets to retain the men’s singles crown in the Rs0.2 million Pakistan Open tennis championship at the Karachi Club on Friday.

After one-all Aqeel fought tooth and nail to win the decisive set in a tie-breaker amidst cheers from a select gathering. He was home 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (6) in some two hours and 15 minutes.

The final was a repeat of last year’s Federal Cup where Aqeel had beaten Asim in a convincing fashion 6-1, 6-0.

In fact, the Pakistan No 1 had lost only three matches — one each to Shahzad Khan, Asim Shafik and Aisam-ul-Haq — during the last eight years. Though the Pakistan No 1 was delighted on his triumph at the same time he was critical for the slippery courts. “They [courts] are good for ice skating and not tennis,” he told Dawn soon after the final.

He said it sounds strange that the metropolis lacked proper playing facilities.

He also drew the attention of the organisers to invite an official white batch match referee from Islamabad in the ranking tournaments in future.

Responding to Aqeel’s earlier request in Dawn, the sponsors were quick to enhance the men’s singles winning purse to Rs75,000 and the runner-up prize money to Rs40,000 from next year.

A jubilant Aqeel received the winner’s cheque of Rs30,000 along with a trophy while Asim earned the runner-up prize of Rs14,000 plus trophy.

Islamabad-based top seed Sara Mehboob claimed the ladies singles crown by getting the better of Lahore’s Saba Aziz, the third seed, 6-2, 5-7, 7-5 in two hours, 45 minutes.

She fetched Rs17,000 including an additional Rs5,000 than the original prize money, while Saba took home Rs8,000. Both were also awarded trophies.

The remaining three encounters — juniors U-17, boys’ U-15 and boys U-13 — turned out to be a one-sided affair.

Top seed Zuhair Raza proved his mettle when he prevailed over Abdul Rehman 6-1, 6-2 to land the juniors title. The former was winner of the boys’ U-15 title last year.

Mustafa Zaidi whipped Abdul Rehman 6-4, 6-3 to capture the boys’ U-15 title while the boys U-13 title went to Imran Mooraj who beat Fraz Ahmed Faiz 6-1, 6-1.

Results: (all finals)

Men’s singles:

Aqeel Khan (Karachi) bt Asim Shafik (Islamabad) 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (6).

Ladies singles:

Sara Mehboob (Islamabad) bt Saba Aziz (Lahore) 6-2, 5-7, 7-5.

Juniors U-17 singles: Syed Zuhair Raza (Karachi) bt Abdul Rehman (Karachi)

6-1, 6-2.

Boys U-15 singles:

Mustafa Zaidi (Karachi) bt Abdul Rehman (Karachi) 6-4, 6-3.

Boys U-13 singles:

Imran Mooraj (Karachi) bt Fraz Ahmed Faiz (Karachi) 6-1, 6-1.

Seniors 45 plus doubles:

Shahid Hussain/Zahid Hussain bt Azharuddin/Javed Ahmed 6-3, 6-1.