KARACHI: Top players across the country will assemble in the city to feature in the half-a-million rupees second Modern Club Founder Members Tennis Championship which runs at the club’s refurbished courts from April 7 to 13.

“The prize money has been enhanced from Rs2,00,000 to Rs5,00,000 this year to keep the club’s tradition aloft for the promotion of healthy activities including tennis in the country,” its administrator and a former Olympian Abdul Waheed Khan told Dawn on Thursday.

He said the event was launched last year to pay respect to its founder members who played vital role in the formative years of Modern Club that was established in 1967. Presently, the club has over 300 members.

Waheed, the 1960 Rome Olympic gold medallist is associated with the club for over two decades after his retirement as assistant collector Customs (preventive).

According to prize money break-up, the men’s singles purse has been doubled from Rs50,000 to Rs1,00,000 while the runner-up will get Rs45,000.

The ladies singles winner will receive Rs35,000 and the runner-up earns Rs17,000.

The events that will take place in the tourney include men’s singles and doubles, ladies singles, boys under-18 singles, boys under-14 singles, boys under-14 singles, boys under-10 singles, seniors 35 singles, seniors 45 plus doubles and seniors 55 plus doubles.

Last date for the submission of entries with Rs500 per player per event is April 5.

Dr Abdul Sattar Jaffer heads the organising committee while Nasser Nawaz Jaffer is the patron. Abdul Razzak Jaffer and Abdul Waheed Khan are chairman and co-chairman of the organising committee, respectively.

Published in Dawn, March 18th, 2016