Springboard to college

1. Queen of the court: Pakistan’s top-ranked female tennis player Sara Mahboob Khan was number one in Pakistan for six years, but opted for a degree in a US varisty instead. – AFP 2. Time to serve: Teens need monetary help if they want to make it in the professional tennis circuit. – AFP3. Serve ‘em up, slap ‘em down: Mahboob Khan (centre) instructs tennis students during a training session. – AFP

ON the tennis courts of a posh Islamabad country club, veteran coach Mahboob Khan drills his charges, but they aren’t dreaming of the pristine lawns of Wimbledon.

For these young Pakistanis, taking up tennis has a more practical application – a ticket to a top university in the United States or any other part of the world, on a sports scholarship.