Zainab Ali Naqvi, a young tennis player from Pakistan, shocked the tennis fraternity when reports emerged that she had died of a heart attack on Monday, January 12.
It has been reported that Zainab collapsed in the bathroom at her home following a practice session ahead of an ITF tournament. The teenage tennis player was immediately taken to the hospital, accompanied by her grandmother who sought help after the youngster fainted.
Zainab Ali Naqvi was brought to the hospital on Monday night but it was too late as the doctor pronounced death on arrival, said the police handling her suspected death.
Zainab won the opening round of ITF Juniors Khawar Hyatt Memorial Tournament in Islamabad and was preparing for the second round of the tournament. However, young Pakistan teenage tennis player's career came to an end following unfortunate death.
Zainab Ali Naqvi's tennis career
Zainab Ali Naqvi stared playing tennis at the age of 6, following the footsteps of her father, who was also a tennis enthusiast. Apart from tennis, she was a brilliant student who excelled well in her academic career.
The deceased Pakistan teenager was a dedicated tennis player who had a natural flair of the game. Zainab mostly participated in the singles category at junior level and playing on hard court is her preferred choice. Zainab Ali Naqvi participated in several national and international junior tournaments before her sudden death.
Her notable achievement at internationa level was winning the ATF U-14 Super Series Tennis Championships, defeating India's Varsha Das in the close final. Zainab represented her country in ITF Pakistan Junior Tennis Championships in 2022, where the team faced Kazakhstan.
In 2023, Zainab Ali Naqvi was signed by the Pakistan Air Force and represented the PAF team in the National Games in Quetta, Balochistan.
ITF J30 in Islamabad to be renamed as Zainab Ali Naqvi Memorial
Pakistan Tennis Federation decided to honour late Zainab Ali Naqvi by renaming the ITF J30 tournament to her name in Islamabad. It was reported that on Tuesday, few minutes of silence by players, coaches, PTF officials and staff to mourn the demise of young tennis player.
As per Geo TV journalist, Muneeb Farrukh tweeted that PTF will be renaming ITF J30 to be rechristened as Zainab Ali Naqvi Memorial to honour the deceased player. Additionally, tennis court will also be named after her.
Zainab Ali Naqvi was touted to be the next big thing in Pakistan tennis due to her immense talent and skills on the court. She was often known for her agility and smartness on the court using her speeds and tactics to outsmart her opponents in the match.
