Pakistan has secured a place in the semifinals of the ITF Masters 45+ World Championship in Manavgat, Türkiye, following a string of dominant performances. The national squad, featuring PTF President Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi, Aqeel Khan, and Shehryar Salamat, has been in scintillating form, dispatching opponents with clinical precision. However, they faced their sternest test yet in the quarterfinals against the Czech Republic.
The road to the semifinals saw Pakistan top Group C after emphatic 3-0 victories over Romania and host nation Türkiye. The team displayed outstanding coordination in both singles and doubles matches, maintaining a flawless record heading into the knockout rounds.
The quarterfinal clash against the Czech Republic proved to be Pakistan’s toughest challenge so far in the ITF Masters 45+ team competition. The Czech team came out strong, with Jiri Lokaj staging a comeback to defeat Aisam-ul-Haq 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. However, Aqeel Khan quickly leveled the tie with a commanding 6-3, 6-0 win over Martin Sedzmak. With the match on the line, Aqeel and Aisam rolled back the years, securing a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Alan Brusenbauch and Jiri Lokaj to seal Pakistan’s place in the semifinals.
Pakistan now faces a high-stakes showdown against France, with a spot in the final of the ITF Masters 45+ World Championship on the line. With momentum on their side, the Pakistani squad will be eager to extend their impressive run and move one step closer to lifting the championship title. If successful, Pakistan will either face Germany or Spain in the final.
The ITF Masters 45+ team championship will conclude on Friday, March 14, before the World Individual Championships (30+ to 45+) take place from Saturday, March 15, to Saturday, March 22.
