Third test of Indo Pak tennis series tomorrow

Chandigarh, Nov 9 (UNI) India will be looking to take a 2-1 lead when they take on Pakistan at the Chandigarh Lawn Tennis Association (CLTA) stadium here tomorrow for the third test of the four match home-and-away Indo-Pak Tennis Series.

India won the first Test 2-1 at Islamabad on clay courts while Pakistan blanked India 2-0 at Lahore on grass courts.

The last test will be played at New Delhi on November 12.

The winners of each Test in India will get US 1500 dollar and runners-up 1000 dollar. However, the Indian players will get a bonus.

Singles or doubles win by the Indians on the home leg will receive 500 dollar.

Both countries have fielded their top ATP ranked players. Rohan Bopanna, Karan Rastogi, Divij Sharan, Vivek Shokeen and doubles specialist Mustafa Ghouse were part of the Indian team which played in Islamabad and Lahore. Another player Purav Raja has also been asked to report at Chandigarh.

The Pakistan team which arrived here today comprises Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi (ATP ranking 441), Aqel Khan Khan (504), Nomi Qamar and Asim Shafiq (863).

CLTA Chairman Rajan Kashyap who was in Pakistan for the first two tests said that the All India Tennis Association and the Pakistan Tennis Federation had decided to make the test series an annual affair. In the next series, junior boys Under-16 or Under-18 would be part of the Indo-Pak Tennis series, he added.

Kashyap disclosed that the dates of the next Indo-Pak series would be decided in consultation with the players of both countries.

''The players availability will be the final and deciding factor while finalising the dates,'' he said.

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