Pakistan rising tennis star Sarah Mahboob Khan won National Ranking Tennis Championship 2015 title
By;Asghar Ali Mubarak
Islamabad– – The Pakistan No 1 rising female tennis star Sarah Mahboob Khan won the 5th Syed Tajammul Abbas Memorial National Ranking Tennis Championship 2015 title. In men’s doubles finals, Aqeel Khan/Heera Ashiq got w/o against Shahzad Khan/Yasir Khan. In boys’ U-18 semifinals, Muzammil beat Aman 1-6, 7-5, 6-2 and Hamza beat Barkatullah 6-2, 4-6, 7-6(1). In boys’ U-14 final, Hamza beat Shoaib Khan 7-5, 3-6, 7-5. Sarah Mahboob Khan beat Sara Mansoor in the final match in straight sets. Sarah Mahboob Khan was born in Rawalpindi, Pakistan on 9 February 1991. Sarah Mahboob Khan father Mahboob is a USPTR tennis coach. Sarah Mahboob Khan tennis player is the leading player has reached the furthest for players from her country in international tournaments.
In 2004, Sarah Mahboob Khan became the youngest ever Pakistan National Champion, aged 14. She has been Pakistan’s leading tennis player since 2005. She is the only player to have won Pakistan national titles on clay, hard, and grass, and has won a record number of National Rankings Ladies’ Singles Titles. In October 2010, Sarah Mahboob Khan became the first Pakistani female tennis player to qualify for the main draw of an ITF tournament outside Pakistan, and the first to reach the quarter-final of an ITF tournament, achieving this in the doubles at Ain Sukhna, Egypt, partnering Irina Constantine. In February 2011, Sarah Mahboob Khan made her debut in the Pakistan Fed Cup team, which was competing for the first time since 2000.In May 2011, she signed to play for the tennis team of the University of New Mexico,After her sophomore year, Khan transferred to play for James Madison University in Virginia. She is graduate from James Madison University Virginia.
The three hours long final was played at Senator Dilawar Abbas PTF Tennis Complex on other day, Sarah Mahboob who despite 1-5 down in the second set, staged comeback and stun the tennis lovers. Beside others the final match was witnessed by PTF president Salim Saifullah Khan and others permanent sports personalities. Sarah Mahboob also took sweat revenge of her loss against same opponent in the Federal Cup final.
Sara Mansoor was fighting to save her number 1 ranking, while Sarah Mahboob wanted to prove that she still got what it takes to remain at the top, as she just returned from US after completing her studies and playing for university in highly competitive tennis events and led her university from the front and was involved in helping her university carving out major victories.
The match started on a positive note for Sarah Mahboob as she broke Sara Mansoor ‘s serve in the very first game but then Sarah Mahboob broke Sara Mansoor’s serve to make it 2-2. Both players managed to hold onto to their respective serves to take the score to 5-5, before Sarah managed to hold onto her serve and then broke Sara’s serve to take the first set 7-5 in 1 hour and 15 minutes.
The real drama started in the second set, as Sara was enjoying commanding lead by breaking Sarah’s serve twice and was leading 5-1 and 40-0 up serving for the set, when Sarah managed to make it 40-40 then took the game. It was really unbelievable tennis shown by former 7-time national champion Sarah, who won next four games in a row. Sarah controlled her unforced errors and leveled the score 5-5, broke Sara’s 11th game to take 6-5 lead and then hold on to her serve to win the set 7-5, thus registered one of the most memorable victories of her illustrious career.
Talking to media after the final, Sarah Mahboob said that she was happy with the level of tennis she displayed and particularly thrilled by being able to stay patient and focused in the second set to mastermind sensational comeback. She praised Fauji Fertilizer Company (FFC) for their interest in tennis in Pakistan and requested them to extend financial support to other players as well just like they did to Ushna Suhail, Aleena and Mahin Aftab. “If FFC steps forward and extends cooperation with me, I can play major role in helping Pakistan achieve new goals in international events like Fed Cup.” She also praised PTF chief’s tireless efforts for the promotion of tennis in Pakistan.
Sarah Mahboob was awarded cash prize of Rs 25,000 along with winning trophy, while Sara Mansoor pocketed Rs 15,000 and runner-up trophy.
In the men’s singles semifinals, top seed Aqeel Khan and M Abid both from Wapda will vie for top honours, as they defeated their respective opponents. Aqeel registered straight sets victory against Ahmed Ch 6-3, 6-4 in the first semi-final while in the second semifinal; third seed M Abid beat Shahzad Khan 5-6 (retd). Inter Provincial Coordination (IPC) minister Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada was the chief guest at final and distribute prizes among players.
