Zainab Ali Naqvi, a young and promising talent in Pakistani tennis, tragically passed away on Monday night while participating in the ITF Juniors event in Islamabad.
Reports indicate that the 17-year-old athlete was discovered deceased in her home’s bathroom approximately 30 minutes after returning from her match at the ITF Juniors event.
Young tennis player Zainab Ali Naqvi passes away. She was competing in the ongoing ITF juniors event in Islamabad. pic.twitter.com/Asg4WAIveB
— Muneeb Farrukh (@Muneeb313_) February 13, 2024
Also Read: PC Gaming: Top 6 PC Games Played in Pakistan
Zainab, 17, was taking a bath, after a match, at her home but after 30 minutes was found dead in the washroom.
— Muneeb Farrukh (@Muneeb313_) February 13, 2024
Zainab, who began her tennis journey at the age of 9, primarily competed in the singles category and favored hard court surfaces, aligning with her playing style and strengths.
In November 2022, she competed in the ITF Pakistan Junior Tennis Championships, facing off against players like Kazakhstan’s Zhansaya Bakytzhan and India’s Thaniya Sarai.
Among her achievements, Naqvi clinched the Karachi ATF 14 and under Super Tennis Series Championships at Karachi Gymkhana in 2014, marking her first title in the girl’s singles category after a closely-contested final against Varsha Das.
The Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) President, Aisam Ul Haq Qureshi, Ex-PTF President and Senator Salim Saifullah Khan, PTF Council Members, and the wider Pakistan tennis community extend their heartfelt condolences to Zainab’s grieving family.
Her untimely demise has deeply affected the tennis fraternity, leaving a lasting impact on those who followed her journey in the sport.