A tragic incident occurred during the junior event in Islamabad this week, where Zainab Ali Naqvi, a talented teenage tennis player from Pakistan, collapsed and unfortunately lost her life at the age of 17. Ali Naqvi, who showed great potential as a Pakistani junior player, had traveled to Islamabad to participate in the ITF junior event. After completing a practice session on Monday, Ali Naqvi suffered a collapse in her accommodation, and it was her grandmother who discovered her and immediately sought assistance. Ali Naqvi was swiftly taken to the hospital, but sadly, she couldn’t be saved as she was suspected to have suffered a heart attack.
Expressing their deep sorrow, a senior official from the Pakistan Tennis Federation conveyed their condolences and highlighted Ali Naqvi’s dedication to the women’s circuit and her determination to succeed in the ITF junior competitions. Additionally, a Pakistani tennis official stated that the player’s family accepted the heart attack as the cause of death and declined any further investigation. The doctors involved also attributed the tragedy to a natural cause and handed over Ali Naqvi’s body to her family for transportation back to Karachi.
Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi, the current president of the Pakistani Tennis Federation and a former Grand Slam finalist in doubles, extended his heartfelt sympathies to the Ali Naqvi family, along with other members of the PTF. In an official statement, the PTF expressed their profound grief and announced the passing of Miss Zainab Ali Naqvi, emphasizing the support from Mr. Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi, Senator Salim Saifullah Khan, and the entire tennis community. The PTF, together with its council members, offered their sincerest condolences to the bereaved family during this difficult time.
According to the Source tennisworldusa.org