LAHORE: The Aitchison College Junior National Tennis Championship 2025 officially began on Tuesday at the historic Aitchison College campus on Mall Road, Lahore. The championship, organised under the auspices of the Punjab Lawn Tennis Association (PLTA), witnessed a large turnout of young tennis talent from across Punjab and Pakistan, with both boys and girls competing in various age categories.
The opening ceremony was graced by Dr. S.M. Turab Hussain, Principal Aitchison, as the chief guest, who expressed his heartfelt wishes to all the young athletes. He encouraged the players to pursue their tennis journey with passion and discipline, aiming to become future ambassadors of the sport and a source of pride for Pakistan. Dr. Hussain also acknowledged and praised the tireless efforts of Mr. Rashid Malik, Senior Executive Vice President of PLTA, for his continued dedication to promoting tennis throughout the country.
Other notable attendees included Mr. Waqar Nisar, Finance Secretary of PLTA, Mr. Sohail Malik, Mr. Sajjad Rasool, the Tournament Referee, Mr. Faheem Siddiqui, Tournament Coordinator, as well as numerous coaches, players and their parents, and tennis enthusiasts who gathered in support of the rising stars.
The championship kicked off with intense matches in the boys U-18, U-14, and U-12 categories. In the boys U-18 first-round action, Abubakar Talha and Asad Zaman dominated their respective matches with commanding 6-0, 6-0 victories. Zohaib Afzal Malik, Amir Mazari, and Hamza Ali Rizwan also showcased their skill with convincing wins. Meanwhile, Abdullah Pirzada, Abdullah Sajjad, and Aryaan Hassan progressed after solid performances.
In the boys U-14 category, several matches stood out. M. Shayan Afridi, Muhammad Daniyal, and Zayd Mansoor cruised through with clean 4-0, 4-0 wins. Zohaib Amjad staged a comeback victory against M. Faizan, while M. Musa Ali narrowly edged Salal Bugti in a thrilling 4-2, 2-4, 5-4 encounter.
The boys U-12 round also delivered impressive performances. Muhammad Muaz of Fatima Group began his campaign strongly, winning both his U-14 and U-12 matches convincingly. Other winners included Raahim Faisal, Mustafa Zia, Mustafa Uzair Rana, and Nameer Ahsan, who all advanced to the next rounds with straight-set victories.
