Muzammil Murtaza received tough resistance from Shoaib Khan before becoming the champion of the 7th Shaheed Benazir Bhutto National Ranking Tennis Championship-2021, as he won 2-1 in the final played here at Islamabad Tennis Complex on Saturday.
While tennis queen, Ushna Suhail won yet another ladies singles title as she routed former Pakistan number 1 Sarah Mehboob Khan in straight sets.
Senator Taj Haider, Senator Farhatullah Babar, ITC Chairman and former Pakistan Davis Cup coach Fazle Subhan, Level-III coach Kamran Khalil along with a massive crowd has also witnessed the finals of the championship.
In the men’s singles final, it was all left between the country’s two elite youngsters, Muzammil and Shoaib.
Earlier for the third time, Shoaib had beaten Pakistan’s longest-serving number, Aqeel Khan, this year. He won the semifinals against the champion Aqeel 2-1, while Muzammil had overcome the challenge of Yousaf Khan, whom he outclassed in straight sets winning 2-0.
Shoaib was enjoying overwhelming crowd support due to his Pakhtoon background, a massive contingent of Peshawar supporters were backing Shoaib in huge numbers, which gave extra motivation to the young lad.
The first set started at a high pace, both Muzammil and Shoaib manage to break each other’s serve countless times. It was a see-saw battle, both displayed top quality of tennis which was witnessed after a long time, backhand, forehand, down the line and powerful serves were ordered of the first set.
MUzammil had to dig very deep to overcome Shoaib in the first set as he managed to break the 10th serve of Shoaib to take the first set 6-4, the second set started from where the first set ended. Both were showing tremendous skills and an exhibition of world-class tennis was on offer.
Both players, like the first set, continue to break each other’s serve, Shoaib applied tremendous pressure and managed to break the 9th game of Muzammil, before holding his serve to take the second set 6-4.
The third set was the classic example of power and stamina. Both were looking fresh, there were hardly any signs of tiredness on their faces despite spending more than two hours on the court.
The third set was played at a very fast pace, Muzammil was trying his level best to play down the line winners, drop shots, but Shoaib was equal on the occasion.
He was matching fire with fire, there was nothing to separate both players, they both continue to press hard and hard in search of taking the set and thus winning the title for the very first time in their careers, Muzammil using his experience of playing countless finals and beating Aqeel in the finals, manage to hold Shoaib when it matters most and against all the odds, crowd pressure, massive cheering, break Shoaib’s 8th serve and then hold his serves, thus winning the set 6-4 and title after two hours and 40 minutes of top-class tennis.
In the ladies singles final, Ushna Suhail thrashed Sarah Mansoor 2-0 in less than an hour, Ushna won the first set 6-3, while Ushan simply demolished Sarah in the second set.
She won the set 6-1. By breaking second, 4th and 6th games of Sarah, thus winning the coveted trophy and prize money of Rs 55,000, while Sarah received Rs 30,000, while Muzammil got Rs 120,000, while Shoaib got Rs 65,000.