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Pakistani teenage tennis player Zainab Ali Naqvi collapsed during this week’s junior event in Islamabad and sadly passed away at the age of 17.
Ali Naqvi, who was one of the most promising and talented Pakistani juniors, came to Islamabad to take part in this week’s ITF junior event there. After completing a practice session on Monday, Ali Naqvi collapsed in her room and was found by her grandmother who immediately sought help.
Ali Naqvi was immediately rushed to hospital, where she sadly passed away due to a suspected heart attack.
“It is very sad because Zainab was a very promising player on the women’s circuit and enthusiastically working hard to win the ITF junior competitions,” a senior Pakistan Tennis Federation official said, via Press Trust of India.
In a statement, a Pakistani tennis official also said the family of the deceased player accepted heart attack as the cause of death and refused a postmortem to be conducted.
“The doctors suspect a heart attack and have termed it as a natural cause of death and her parents also didn’t want any postmortem and they have been handed over her body for transportation back to Karachi,” he said.
Pakistani Tennis Federation statement on the passing of Al Naqvi
Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi, a former Grand Slam finalist in doubles and the current president of the Pakistani Tennis Federation, expressed his deepest condolences to the Ali Naqvi family along with other members of the PTF.
“With deep sorrow and profound grief, the Pakistan Tennis Federation conveys that Miss Zainab Ali Naqvi – a young tennis player from Karachi passed away last night (12th February 2024) in Islamabad,” the PTF said in a statement.
“Mr. Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi, the President of the Pakistan Tennis Federation, Senator Salim Saifullah Khan, Ex-President PTF, PTF Council Members, and the tennis fraternity at large offer their heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family.”
