ISLAMABAD - Pakistan No 1 tennis player Aqeel Khan was completely satisfied with the team selected for the upcoming Davis Cup tie against Sri Lanka, starting from February 1 to 3 in Colombo.
In an exclusive interview with TheNation on Friday, Aqeel, who is the longest serving top player of the country and occupying top spot from way back in 1999, said: “The trials were conducted in a transparent way in December last in which 12 players from across the country participated.”
“The PTF has invited all the foreign-based Pakistani players in the trials including Samir Iftikhar, Abid Ali Akbar, Jaleel Khan and a Canadian based Pakistani to select team for Davis Cup tie. I have beaten all the foreign-based players in straight sets twice in two-weeks. No doubt Abid Ali is playing very well but he should have answered the PTF call like other players, who returned to country just to participate in the trial matches.”
Reacting strongly to describe him and Aisam as veterans, Aqeel said: “I had just lost six matches in the last 13 years and remained unbeaten in last many years. How could people ruled me out as all these youngsters had just dreamed about beating me and in reality, I had beaten them not once but on numerous occasions.”
“People described Samir as Pakistan’s future hope but I have never seen in such a long career that a player like him, who refused to play a Davis Cup match against Korea, despite his name was announced. Players who had such attitude problem, always bring bad name to the country,” he added.
He said all the other top players who had played alongside Samir complained about his unfriendly and unsporting behavior. “Aisam and I still play for country in Davis Cup ties for at least three to four years. We had requested PTF many times to try other players too in Davis Cup ties as we are playing for Pakistan for the last 15 years in Davis Cup in both singles and doubles matches.”
“It is very easy to blame and pass on our own mistakes on the others shoulders, but to perform against top professionals is never easy. We had given countless performances for our country and we will continue to repeat such performances in future too without paying any heed on trouble makers. I assure that Aisam and I will give our 100 percent and try to win the tie against Sri Lanka that will be enough to shut our critics mouths once and for all,” Aqeel concluded.