'Tennis is not a common path for a girl in Pakistan, and I want my story to show it is possible'
In Pakistan, a girl playing tennis is not typical. But 16-year-old Zunaisha Noor wants to change that narrative. She hopes her routine of playing with her brother and training with her father marks the start of a career that can bring much-needed exposure to women's tennis in her country and beyond.
Noor spoke exclusively to The First Serve about her accomplishments and future aspirations in tennis, including a pathway to the US collegiate system.
"I've been training since around seven years old," Noor expressed.
"It was me and my younger brother, Razik Sultan, who is also a national-level player now. We grew up playing together and training with our father, waking up early every day and following the same disciplined routine for years."
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Tennis became part of the Noor family journey unexpectedly.
"What's unusual is that nobody in our family - or even our relatives - had ever played tennis, and no one had competed in athletics at a national level," said Noor.
"But my father saw our passion and kept taking us to play until we started competing, and our whole family has encouraged us ever since."
Noor expressed that her recent campaign at the Junior Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers, where the Pakistan team she represented finished fifth in the Asia/Oceania region (its best result in their history), was her favourite tennis memory so far.
"I played the deciding doubles with Hajra Sohail, and winning that for my country, with the whole team behind us, is something I'll never forget," the teenager shared.
The geographical isolation of Pakistan, however, presents itself as an issue for junior players, much like for juniors in Australia.
"The biggest challenge is exposure," stated Noor.
"At home we don't get regular access to international-level coaching or a steady calendar of strong international tournaments, so it's harder to measure yourself against the best juniors in the world and learn what that level really demands."
Another point of concern for juniors such as Noor is the urban focus of the tennis structure in Pakistan.
"The Pakistan Tennis Federation does a lot of good work, especially in the capital region - national tournaments, rankings, and selecting the junior national teams, which took me to Colombo," she explained.
"But outside the capital, tennis infrastructure is very limited. Financial support is limited too, and so are two other things juniors really need: opportunities for exposure, and career planning."
Even though tennis is still growing in Pakistan, the pathway and structure juniors are expected to follow look very similar to those of Australian juniors and even juniors worldwide.
"Cricket is king in Pakistan - tennis is a smaller sport, but it's growing, and this week Pakistan is hosting the Billie Jean King Cup Asia/Oceania Group III in Islamabad for the very first time, which is a real sign of that momentum," said Noor.
"The pathway is: start at a local club, play Pakistan Tennis Federation junior tournaments, build your national ranking - I'm ranked No.5 in Girls U18, and from there you can make the junior national team and step onto the ITF junior circuit."
The US collegiate pathway is also very enticing to junior Pakistani players, due to the unique opportunity offered by the combination of high-level tennis and higher education.
"College tennis is a big part of my plan," said Noor.
"Alongside tennis, I'm an A+ student, and I believe having a set pathway - education plus high-level tennis - is the smartest route for a student-athlete. In Pakistan, that opportunity barely exists, so I hope to attend a college internationally where I can keep playing competitive tennis while I study."
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Noor emulates the very passion and inspiration that drives many junior female tennis players worldwide, hailing from countries and regions where tennis is simply not a sought-after career path.
"My dream is to follow in the footsteps of the great women of this sport - Serena Williams, who has always been my inspiration, and champions like Coco Gauff and Iga Świątek - and one day play at the biggest tournaments in the world," Noor revealed.
It is clear that Noor has a set path to reaching her goals. But she wants tennis to create opportunities for not only herself, but for other young girls and women too.
"Tennis is not a common path for a girl in Pakistan, and I want my story to show that it is possible. That is why I'm working on an illustrated children's book about my journey: I hope it inspires more young girls in Pakistan, and beyond, to pick up a racket and believe they belong in this sport."
The sport is not only growing in popularity worldwide, but is becoming a viable pathway for young girls and women to aspire to become professional athletes. For junior players such as Noor, tennis is a gateway to a better future, and a way to dream and create a better future for other young girls and women, too.
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