Aisam and Aqeel power Pakistan into ITF Masters World Team C’ship final

LAHORE - Pakistan produced another memorable performance to book a place in the final of the ITF Masters World Team Championships (45+), defeating Sweden 2-1 in a gripping semifinal at the CIF Tennis Club on Thursday.

The victory marks Pakistan’s best-ever finish at the prestigious event, surpassing last year’s bronze-medal campaign and moving within one win of a historic world title. Sweden struck first when Alex Hartman staged a remarkable comeback to defeat Pakistan’s Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi 2-6, 6-0, 6-1 in the opening singles, handing the Scandinavians an early advantage.

Pakistan, however, responded in style through the experienced Aqeel Khan, who once again rose to the occasion with a composed 6-4, 6-3 victory over Claes Lindholm, restoring parity and sending the semifinal into a winner-takes-all doubles contest. With a place in the championship final at stake, Pakistan’s seasoned duo of Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi and Aqeel Khan delivered a masterclass in aggressive and disciplined tennis. The pair dominated Sweden’s Alex Hartman and Jan Hammar 6-2, 6-4 to seal a landmark triumph amid an electrifying atmosphere created by Swedish and Portuguese spectators.

Pakistan’s impressive run has been one of the standout stories of the tournament. After advancing from the group stage, the Green Shirts eliminated hosts Portugal in the quarterfinals before overcoming Sweden to earn their maiden appearance in the World Team Championship final. Pakistan will now face tournament favourites and top seeds Spain in Friday’s title clash, with the national side aiming to become ITF Masters World Team champions for the first time.

Following the historic victory, Pakistan tennis star Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi praised the team’s fighting spirit and thanked everyone who supported their campaign. “Reaching the World Championship final is a proud moment for Pakistan. The team has displayed tremendous belief, determination and resilience throughout the tournament. I am extremely proud of Aqeel Khan and everyone associated with this remarkable achievement,” Aisam added.

He also acknowledged the contribution of the team’s sponsors, including Lama Retail, SICAS Schools, Tablevelics and Faizan Steel, for making Pakistan’s participation possible, while expressing gratitude to supporters around the world for their unwavering encouragement.

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