ISLAMABAD: The month of December will see capital city of Islamabad buzzing with international tennis activities. The $ 15000 Benazir Bhutto Shaheed ITF Future Championship would cap the engagements expected to be participated by the best falling in the category. Benazir Bhutto Shaheed international will be played at the Islamabad Tennis Complex (ITC) courts from December 16 to 24 would be third international in row. The international engagements would start in the first week of December with the second international to be played from December 12 at PTF Complex courts Senator Taj Haider, chief patron of the Benazir Bhutto International Future event has confirmed to The News that with the cooperation of ITC, the tournament has already become the part of Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) calendar. “Following humble beginning two years back, the BB international has become one of the leading tennis tournaments around. Now the event carries $ 15000 in prize money. This time around we expect some leading international players falling in the category.” Two years back Senator Taj Haider initiated the idea of organising BB International event at the ITC courts. “In three years time we have stared attracting some exciting international players. The BB international event has already become one of the richest in the country.” He said that Shaheed Benazir Bhutto had special value for sports especially for youth in the society. “We believe the effort to organize the event would go a long way in popularizing the game of tennis in the country. The event has already been recognized as the eagerly awaited one for leading tennis players in the country.” Fazale Subhan, the chief organizer of the event confirmed that besides leading foreign players falling in the category, country’s best would be seen in action in qualifying and then in the main round. Subhan said that it would be a combined venture as our efforts had always been to promote the game. “The chief patron of the tournament has very graciously promised to bear all the expenses. The tournament is an effort to inject attractive prize money for players. We need to offer good cash incentives for the players so that the overall tennis standard could be improved.” All matches of the event are to be played at the ITC courts which are professionally maintained and looked after by ITC administration. He said that Shaheed Benazir Bhutto had special value for sports especially for youth in the society. “We believe the effort to organize the event would go a long way in popularizing the game of tennis in the country. The event has already been recognized as the eagerly awaited one for leading tennis players in the country.” “Since the tournament is being played in the name of great leader, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, efforts are on to make it as the best ever held in the country,” Taj Haider said.
