Junaid Family Foundation puts Pakistani women’s tennis in international spotlight

CLEVELAND, OHIO: The Junaid Family Foundation (JFF) has announced its sponsorship of the World Tennis (WT) Women’s $15,000 Futures Tournament, scheduled to take place from October 12 to 17 in Islamabad. The tournament will be the first-ever WT women’s event hosted in Pakistan.
Organised by the Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF), the tournament is expected to attract around 40 international players, who will compete alongside Pakistan’s emerging female tennis talent. The announcement has been widely welcomed across Pakistan.
A spokesman for the foundation said that empowering women through sports was part of JFF’s broader mission. He added that the sponsorship reflected the foundation’s longstanding commitment to promoting equality, women’s empowerment and civic engagement through sporting initiatives.
The foundation has supported several major international sporting events in the United States, demonstrating its commitment to using sports as a platform for inclusion, community development and international cooperation.
JFF has sponsored Squash in the Land, an annual PSA World Tour event held in Cleveland, Ohio, for more than four years. The tournament features both men’s and women’s professional squash competitions, giving women athletes equal prominence while promoting Cleveland’s sporting identity and the foundation’s commitment to women’s health and visibility.
The foundation also sponsored the Four Nations Polo Cup, held in The Plains, Virginia, in 2026. Pakistan, which has a rich polo history, emerged victorious in the tournament.
“JFF was honoured to see the sport played among four strong international teams in the US this past spring. Pakistan brought home the win with the support of a strong Pakistani-American diaspora on the sidelines, showing the uniqueness of a game that brings together four nations through the spirit of sportsmanship,” the spokesman said.
JFF was also a presenting sponsor of the 2024 Pan American Masters Games in Cleveland, Ohio, an international multi-sport event that attracted thousands of athletes from around the world. The foundation said its involvement highlighted the broader purpose of sports in building global relationships through competition.
Looking ahead, JFF is set to sponsor the Special Olympics USA Games in Cleveland in 2030.
The spokesman said: “Cleveland is not only home to a unique range of sporting events but also a place where diversity is celebrated. The Greater Cleveland Sports Commission, alongside JFF and many other sponsors, is honoured to be hosting the Special Olympics USA Games in 2030, where thousands of children and adults with intellectual disabilities will converge on Cleveland to engage in fierce competition powered by joy and the love of sports.”
Returning to the upcoming Women’s $15,000 Futures Tournament in Islamabad, the foundation said the competition would provide an important international platform for Pakistani female tennis players to showcase their talent and compete against international athletes.
JFF said its sponsorship formed part of its wider commitment to women’s empowerment, health and wellbeing, while helping to raise the profile of women’s sports in Pakistan.
“Investing in women’s health has always meant more to us than clinical interventions,” said Ansir Junaid, Chairman of the Junaid Family Foundation.
“This tournament lets us support world-class athletes while putting a spotlight on the health and wellbeing of women and girls across Pakistan.”
Junaid said the tournament would take place during an important period for women’s tennis in Pakistan, with another Futures Tournament scheduled to follow. The Billie Jean King Cup Asia/Oceania competition would also help bring further international attention to women’s tennis in the country.