The Indo-Pak tennis series, set to begin in Lahore tomorrow, will go ahead without the girls’ team travelling to Pakistan in view of the recent political turmoil.As a result, there will be no girls’ singles and mixed doubles event. “Our boys are already there (in Pakistan) playing ITF tournaments. Due to political uncertainty there, we requested our counterparts not to include women’s teams in this series. We can have women’s participation next year,” AITA director Amarbir Singh, who will accompany the Indian team as manager, said.The series will now be played in the old format of two men’s singles and a doubles match.The Indian team will be led by national champion Ashutosh Singh, who is in good form. He reached the final of the ITF grass court event in Lahore on Saturday. An unfit Aditya Madkekar will not be able to play in the series, leaving the other two places for Vivek Shokeen and left-handed Sunil Kumar Sipaeya.Ashutosh and Shokeen have come up as a good pair in recent times as they won the two doubles titles in Bellary and Lahore.Pakistan have a strong player in Aisam Qureshi. Aqeel Khan is also in good form and recently won an ITF singles title in India by defeating Sunil. Aqeel’s younger brother Jalil Khan is the third member of the host team.The first leg of the series will be played at Lahore on November 13 and 14 and the second at Islamabad on November 15 and 16.India’s coach and non-playing captain Akhtar Ali, who flies today for Pakistan, said the hosts have an edge because of Qureshi.“Qureshi is a class player. We don’t have a class player like him. So our strategy would be to win the second singles and doubles match. If Ashutosh can upset Qureshi our job becomes easy,” the former Davis Cup coach said.Ali said Madkekar had pulled a muscle so he was not included in the team. The coach exuded confidence on the Ashutosh-Shokeen pair and said much would depend on their performance together. “They’re gelling well as a team. They have won a doubles (title) together and they make a strong team. It is likely that we will win one of the two singles so the doubles match becomes decisive and I am sure they can beat any combination.”
