Pakistan secured the bronze medal at the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Masters 45+ World Championship after defeating Germany 2-1 on Sunday, as announced by the Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF). The tournament, held in Manavgat, Türkiye, featured 21 nations competing in the men’s team event, also known as the Dubler Cup, in the 45+ age category.
Pakistan showcased a dominant performance in the group stage, securing emphatic 3-0 victories against Romania and the host nation, Türkiye. According to the PTF, this marked a historic achievement for Pakistan’s tennis team, as it was their first participation in this prestigious event.
The team, led by captain Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi and featuring Aqeel Khan and Shehryar Salamat, delivered an exceptional performance against some of the world’s top tennis nations. In the quarterfinals, Pakistan triumphed over the Czech Republic with a 2-1 scoreline, advancing to the semifinals.
However, in a closely contested semifinal against France, Pakistan narrowly lost 2-1. Despite a remarkable singles victory by Aqeel Khan, the doubles match proved decisive, with France edging out Pakistan.
The team bounced back in the third-place playoff, defeating Germany 2-1 to claim the bronze medal. In this crucial match, Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi retired from his singles match, while Aqeel Khan secured a commanding singles win. Qureshi and Khan then teamed up to win the decisive doubles match against Germany.
The PTF also noted that Pakistani players will now compete in individual events during the second week of the championship.
In other tennis achievements, Pakistan’s senior player Talha Waheed recently set a world record for the most tennis serves in one minute, as recognized by Guinness World Records. Waheed surpassed the previous record of 42 serves, set by American John Perry in 2019, by delivering 59 successful serves in a November attempt that was ratified this week.
Earlier this month, Pakistan’s wheelchair tennis team also made headlines by defeating Iran 2-1 to win the bronze medal at the BNP Paribas World Team Cup Wheelchair Tennis Asian Qualification Event. The doubles decider saw Asif and Fida secure a 6-4, 6-4 victory over the Iranian pair, clinching the medal.
