The Hindu : Sport / Tennis : Aqeel Khan — from ball-boy to Pakistan’s No. 2

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Monday, Aug 06, 2007
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Aqeel Khan — from ball-boy to Pakistan’s No. 2

— Photo: S. Subramanium

FIGHTING IT OUT: Aqeel Khan believes lack of sponsorship and facilities have curbed his progress on the men’s ATP circuit.

New Delhi: Ace Pakistani tennis player Aqeel Khan says that financial constraints and lack of sponsors are hurdles for players like him from making a mark at the international level.

As a school-going kid, Aqeel hated the job of a ball-boy and decided to pick up the tennis racquet instead.

Today, he is the No. 2 player in his country and feels he has enough ammunition to crack at the upper echelons of the sport.

But Aqeel thinks hard work is not enough to find one’s foothold at the international stage and there are things which are not in one’s control. “I cannot afford to play tournaments abroad on my own due to financial constraints. Due to long time absence from the court, I am not able to defend my points. I have no sponsor and I do not belong to an affluent family. So despite putting all the hard work, I go nowhere,” Khan told PTI in an interview. Aqeel, who is here for the ITF Futures tournaments, last played an international tournament abroad in July 2006 in India. Besides, he also played Davis Cup ties in China, Philippines and Pacific Ocean. Aqeel, languishing at 533rd spot in the ATP rankings, says the lack of travel hampers his progress.

Short on exposure

When asked how he managed this current trip, he said Jaffer Brothers, a multi-national company, agreed to help him. Aqeel also rued the fact that his country hosts international tournaments rarely.

“In Pakistan players do not get exposure of playing international tournaments. There are no tournaments. Last time we had an international tournament was in 2004. It was a satellite tournament which came after a gap of six years.

“Now three ITF Futures tournaments are being organised in October this year in Lahore and Islamabad. It means after a gap of three years, we will have an international tournament to play.”

Aqeel says mere talent is not enough these days to excel.

“One has to be talented to reach the heights. But what do I do when there is no tournament. Nothing, just practice and sit at home. If you don’t travel, you cannot get exposure and ultimately you do not grow as a player.

“I started playing tennis when I was a 11-12-year old, but I picked up the racquet only to evade the ball-boy duty which my father made me to do at Modern Club.I hated doing that and kept playing. Gradually I developed interest and did well afterwards, but where do I stand now,” he said. — PTI

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