Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) has hired renowned American coach Robert Davis to train national players, President of the PTF Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi said on Saturday.
Speaking at a press conference alongside Robert Davis, Aisam said that Robert was one of the top-tier tennis coaches in the world.
“This is a momentous occasion for Pakistan tennis. It is for the first time that we have brought in a foreign coach of such a caliber to work with our players. This demonstrates our dedication to providing them with the best possible training and resources,” Aisam said.
He said the federation was committed to elevating Pakistan’s tennis standard on the international stage.
“Robert is a highly respected figure in the tennis world. He brings a wealth of experience, having coached players in numerous countries, including China, Korea, Saudi Arabia and Vietnam.”
According to Aisam, the federation has also invested in sending players for training in Kazakhstan.
“Robert has produced 10 to 15 top-ranked players in the world. He also helped our team significantly during the Davis Cup in Myanmar and provided a 10-day training session for our coaches.
“Now, here in Islamabad, he has already conducted a week-long training sessions for our coaches and players,” he added.
He said a state-of-the-art gym at PTF Complex was nearing its completion. “Hopefully, it will be ready by February 20”, he said.
Aisam said the PTF was focusing on increasing tournaments and rewards for young players.
“A foreign fitness trainer is also arriving in Islamabad on Sunday to support the athletes’ physical conditioning,” he added.
The PTF President mentioned a series of international events taking place during the ongoing year where Pakistan’s tennis teams would showcase their skills.
The national team will travel to Malaysia for the Asian Qualifying Round, while the junior team will compete in the South Asian Qualifiers. Additionally, the Under-14 team is also set to participate in an international event.
Calling 2025 “a golden year” for Pakistan tennis, Aisam expressed confidence that Pakistan players would claim medals in the Islamic Games and the South Asian Games. He said that Pakistan’s performance in the recently held Davis Cup tie against Kazakhstan was good, but they could not get over the line. He said that preparations for the September Davis Cup tie had already begun.
He said Pakistan’s seasoned coaches Mehboob Khan and Asim Khan were actively training junior players, with over 100 children in Peshawar and 150 in Faisalabad already receiving coaching.
Robert, on occasion, said: “The first impression, which I got here is that everyone – the players, coaches and the PTF management are very much enthusiastic. They love tennis and want to improve.
“I am also incredibly impressed by the talent I see in Pakistan.”
He said Pakistan’s junior players had immense potential while the senior players were already performing well. “They [budding players] just need more exposure to international competition, and I am confident they can achieve great things,” he reckoned.
