User:Nidawaseem

Nida Waseem is a distinguished women’s tennis player who, in the last decade, has carried the name of Pakistan’s tennis both nationally and internationally. Nida has remained undefeated in Pakistan since winning her first national championship ten years ago. Born on November 1st, 1982 in Karachi, Nida started playing tennis at the age of 7 and became Pakistan’s No.1 women tennis player at the young age of 14. Victory at home motivated her to participate in the International Junior World Ranking circuit globally. Nida competed extensively in the Junior World Ranking tournaments around the world between the years 1996 to 2000 winning several international matches and tournaments, which elevated her world junior ranking to 108 in single and 87 in doubles. No girl from Pakistan has reached this ranking internationally.

In the year 2000, Nida competed in prestigious international tournaments of the world, i.e. Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon Championships (junior grand slam events). This is an outstanding and a rare distinction as to date she remains Pakistan’s first women’s tennis player to attain such heights of world class tennis.

On the basis of her international ranking Nida was ranked amongst the top 10 Asian girls in the year 2000. She has played as Pakistan’s No.1 Tennis player in the Fed Cup events held at New Zealand, Japan, and Thailand. She became Pakistan’s first women’s tennis player to represent Pakistan in women’s tennis in the Asian Games held in Bangkok in 1998. Nida also won the Bronze Medal in the First Islamic Women’s Games held in 1999 in Tehran.

Her notable performance in tennis awarded her a full four year scholarship (2001-2005) from Boston College, USA. She was elected as Captain of the Boston College Women’s Tennis Team and her ability to motivate and perform as a Captain earned her the “Leadership Award” in 2005 from her college; a great achievement for a Pakistani girl in the field of World Tennis abroad.

Nida continues to play in the national circuit and has won every tournament she has participated in since 1996. In the National Games held in Karachi, in 1997, Nida won the Gold Medal in the Women’s Tennis Event. In the 30th National Games 2007, Nida won three Gold Medals to sweep through all tennis events. Nida also won the National Women’s Tennis Championship held in Islamabad in 2007.

Her impressive performance on the international circuit has decorated Pakistan on the canvas of international tennis, and her success has motivated other girls to excel in tennis.

In recognition of her outstanding performance in the last decade, both at the National and International Level, she was decorated with the Pride of Performance at a special ceremony held to commemorate Pakistan Day at the Governor’s House on Sunday, March 23 2008.

She was the only sportsperson amongst the 29 Sindh-domiciled people who received the prestigious awards from the Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan.

“In recognition of her outstanding performance in the last decade both at national and international level in the field of women’s tennis,” said the citation read out on the occasion.