ISLAMABAD: Top seed Aqeel Khan on Sunday annexed men’s singles title at the Samsung Federal Cup Ranking Tennis Championship, producing better-than-expe­cted performance to vanquish Heera Ashiq in the final.

The top seed took only 48 minutes to beat his rival in straight sets here at Dilawar Abbas Pakistan Tennis Federation Complex on Sunday.

Aqeel kept the pressure from the outset to gain the winning lead 4-1 before breaking Heera’s fourth game and finally succeeding in winning the first set 6-2.

The second set saw the winner keep pressure on the other finalist by playing powerful forehand and backhand drives which helped the former win the set 6-1 with the winner breaking fourth and sixth games of Heera.

Also, Aqeel along with his partner Shahzad Khan won the men’s doubles title by beating Mohammad Abid and Usman Rafiq of Lahore in a well-contested two-set match 6-2, 6-4.

On the other hand, the duo of Waqar Nisar and Asad Niaz claimed the Seniors 60 Plus doubles title by beating Salim Saifullah Khan and Mehboob Khan 6-1, 6-1.

According to the Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF), a total of 130 players competed in seven different events from all over the county.

Cash awards to the tune of Rs300, 000 was distributed among the players apart from daily allowance paid to all out station players.

PTF president Salim Saifullah Khan graced the occasion as chief guest and distributed the prizes amongst the players.

Published in Dawn, October 19th, 2015

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