Ishaque Eqbal Triumphs at Fenesta Open
India’s rising tennis star, Ishaque Eqbal, who looks up to the legendary Roger Federer, recently faced challenges in securing sponsorships for tournaments. Despite these hurdles, Eqbal, alongside his partner Faisal Qamar, clinched the men’s doubles title at the Fenesta Open National Tennis Championship.
Inspiration and Early Beginnings
Eqbal credits his parents for encouraging him to pursue tennis from a young age. He shared, “My role model has always been Roger Federer. I would like to give my parents credit for picking up the sport because when we were very young. When we were five, then my family members got us enrolled in tennis, and from there, I started training with my coach, he saw the talent in me.”
Goals and Challenges
The 26-year-old aims to compete in the Davis Cup for India and break into the top 100 ATP rankings. However, he acknowledges the financial difficulties due to limited sponsorships in India. Eqbal stated, “My short-term goal is to play Davis Cup for India. Since we do not have many sponsors in India so financially, there are problems for us in competing and playing tournaments.”
Recent Victory and Comeback
Eqbal and Faisal’s recent victory saw them defeat Fardeen Mohammed and Abhinansu Borthakur 6-0, 6-2 in the men’s doubles final. This win was particularly special for Eqbal, as it marked his return to form after a two-month injury. “I am very happy to win the Fenesta National Doubles. The last time I won was in 2019. So, to win this title after five years is great,” Eqbal expressed.
Partnership with Faisal Qamar
Eqbal and Faisal have been playing together for some time, both serving in the Indian Navy under the sports quota. They have participated in international tournaments and were finalists in 2022. Eqbal reflected, “Me and Faisal have been playing together for quite some time now. We both work in the Indian Navy under sports quota. We have participated in international tournaments together.”
Doubts Revealed
Ishaque Eqbal -: Ishaque Eqbal is a talented tennis player from India who recently won a big tennis tournament.
Fenesta Open -: The Fenesta Open is a national tennis championship held in India where many players compete to win titles.
Doubles Title -: In tennis, a doubles title means winning a match where two players team up against another pair.
Faisal Qamar -: Faisal Qamar is Ishaque Eqbal’s partner in the doubles tennis match they won together.
Roger Federer -: Roger Federer is a famous tennis player from Switzerland, known for being one of the best in the world.
Davis Cup -: The Davis Cup is a major international tennis competition where teams from different countries compete against each other.
ATP Rankings -: ATP rankings are a list that shows the best male tennis players in the world based on their performance in tournaments.
Indian Navy -: The Indian Navy is a part of India’s military forces that protects the country’s waters and helps in national security.
