Pak get bronze in ITF Wheelchair Tennis
Pakistan shone at the BNP Paribas World Team Cup Wheelchair Tennis Asian Qualification Event in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
The team included Asif Abbasi, Fida Hussain, and Ihsanullah Khan with Muhammad Khalid Rehmani as the captain.
They won the match in the presence of Sri Lanka Tennis Association President Iqbal Issak who was there as the chief guest.
Meanwhile, Japan emerged as the winner in both male and female events. They qualified for the World group event and earned their gold medal from the qualification round.
Rehmani, who also serves as a vice-president of the Pakistan Tennis Federation, applauded the team's effort and highlighted the history they made in Colombo.
"It is the first time that Pakistan reached the victory stand in wheelchair tennis," he said in a press statement. "They won bronze here.
"I thank President Aisamul Haq and the International Tennis Federation Wheelchair Department who support wheelchair tennis in Pakistan. I also want to commend the former PTF president Salim Saifullah Khan who initiated wheelchair tennis in the country in 2018."
Rehmani further added that the current PTF President Aisam, the only world-class player from the country in the open era, has planned to flourish wheelchair tennis more extensively in 2025 by adding more cities in the fold of the wheelchair development Initiative. There will also be efforts to invite a foreign coach who could further train Pakistani coaches for wheelchair training capacity building.
During the bronze-medal match, Pakistan came from behind as Iran's Hussain Mamipour outplayed Fida 6-0,6-1 in the first singles rubber.
But Abbasi defeated Iran's Muhammad Reza Yagoupi 6-0,6-0 during the second singles rubber to level the tie 1-1.
The result fell solely on Asif and Fida's shoulders who played the deciding doubles rubber. They overcame their Iranian opponents 6-4,6-4 to seal the win.
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