Sports Desk Lahore
National champion Aqeel Khan cruised through the first hurdle on te opening day of the Aitchison College Open National Tennis Championships at the Punjab Lawn Tennis Association courts here on Monday.
Top seed Aqeel, fresh from yet another title to his credit added last week on the same courts, powered his way to beat little-known Shakirullah 6-2, 6-1 in the first round. Another seed Mohammad Abid also secured a facile 6-1, 6-1 win over Parbat Kumar.
Some of the remaining matches went to the distance in which Mahatir Mohammad, Huzaifa Abdul Rehman and Hamid Israr were given time by their respective opponents.
Mahatir outlasted Sikandar Hayat 1-6, 6-2, 6-2 before Abdul Rehman ousted Heera Ashiq 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 and Hamid had to work hard to overpower Fayyaz Khan 4-6, 6-1, 6-3.
Results: Men’s singles: First round; Aqeel Khan bt Shakirullah 6-2, 6-1; Ahmed Kamil bt Usman Rafiq 7-6, 6-3; Mahatir Mohammad bt Sikandar Hayat 1-6, 6-2, 6-2; Mohammad Shoaib bt Faizan Fayyaz 6-0, 6-1; Ahmed Babar bt Saqib Hayat 6-1, 6-3; Huzaifa Abdul Rehman bt Heera Ashiq 5-7, 6-3, 6-4; Imran Bhatti bt Shehzad Khan 2-0 — Shehzad retired; Abdullah Adnan bt Asadullah 6-1, 6-2; Zeeshan Sheikh bt Israr Gul 7-6 (7-5), 6-3; Mohammad Abid bt Parbat Kumar 6-0, 6-1; Yousuf Khalil at Nalain Abbas 6-1,6-2; Hamid Israr beat Fayyaz Khan 4-6, 6-1, 6-3; Barkatullah bt Jabir Ali 6-3, 6-2; Muzammil Murtaza bt Arham Atique Khan 6-2, 6-2.
