Aqeel retain CAS Khyber Open Tennis title
Bureau Report

PESHAWAR—Defending Champion and Pakistan’s leading player Aqeel Khan defeated Asim Shafiq in the Men singles final of the 26th Chief of the Air Staff Khyber Open Tennis Tournament being played at PAF Officer Mess Court on Sunday.
Air Vice Marshal Akramullah Bhatti, Air Officer Commanding Northern Air Command graced the occasion as chief guest.
Base Commander Air Commodore Sajid received the chief guest at the lush green courts. The final was also witnessed by other high military and civil officials, tennis players and game fans.
Aqeel Khan, hailing from Nawa Kali, faced tough resistance in the first set.It was just like last year men singles final because both Pakistan No.1 Aqeel and Pakistan No. 2 Asim exhibited classic game with some fine services were also witnessed.
“I’m enjoying tennis these days and my preparation for the forthcoming Asian Games is continued,” Aqeel Khan told APP. He said that recently concluded Pak-India Tennis Series gave the required boost to the players. He was of the opinion that such series can play important role in polishing an individual game, both at national and international levels. Aqeel enthralled the sitting audiences with his superb cross-court smashes and perfect Aces. His Ace services have no answer with Shafiq because he failed to cope up, especially on cross-court smashes.
Keeping Asim all the time at bay, Aqeel took the lead in the opening set by breaking Asim’s service time and again. Both stretched to tie-breaker (6-6) and thus Aqeel won the set by 7-6.
After winning the first set, Aqeel failed to click in the second, won by Asim by 4-6 but he (Aqeel) rallied back strongly by winning the third set by 6-3. Unseeded Yasir Khan defeated top seed Tanvir Ashiq in the Under-17 final. The match provided no thrilling as Yasir Khan fully dominated against Tanvir. Yasir Khan came from behind after playing the qualifying round before upsetting top seed Tanvir. The score was 6-2 and 6-1.
In the Men doubles Aqeel Khan and Jalil beat Asim Shafiq and Shehzad Khan to clinch the doubles title. The score was 6-4 and 7-5 (6-6) while in the veterans doubles Air Commodore Razi Nawaz and Inayatullah defeated Azhar Hafiz and Musa Khan by 6-3 and 6-4.
Unseeded Faizan Khan came from behind to upset top seed Jibbran in the marathon Under-13 final. Qualifier Faizan, came from behind before upsetting top seed and national ranking player by 4-3, 4-6 and 7-5. Faizan got the first set but he faced tough resistance in the second and third set.
And even both Faizan and Jibbran stretched to tie-breaker (6-6) in the third set. Later on, the chief guest gave away trophies to the winners and runners-up players.