ITF Seniors World Ranking Tennis C’ship

Malik clinches 45 plus title

By Our correspondent

LAHORE: Rashid Malik of ZTBL trounced Hasan Said by 6-1, 6-1 to clinch the men’s singles 45 plus title in the 34th Maple Leaf Pakistan ITF Seniors World Ranking Tennis Championship, which concluded here at the PLTA Courts on Friday.

Secretary Sports Punjab Ehsan Bhutta graced the concluding ceremony as chief guest and distributed prizes and shields among the winners. Other notables present on the occasion were PLTA Chairman Iftikhar Ahmad Rao, Secretary Rashid Malik, Senior Vice President Mansoor Warraich, Finance Secretary Zahid Rai, Naeem Siddiqui, Col Asif Dar, Naseem Ahmed, Zohaib Raza from Bahawalpura, tennis players and their families.

Secretary Sports Ehsan Bhutta also distributed prizes among the prominent performers of the championship.

In men’s singles 45 plus final, Rashid Malik of ZTBL was in sublime form as he played tremendous tennis against his opponent, Hasan Said, and never allowed him to settle down and won the final comfortably in straight sets 6-1, 6-1. Malik just conceded one point to take the first set 6-1, while he won the second set with same margin of 6-1 to grab the title.

Talha Waheed of Gas & Oil Pakistan Ltd grabbed the double crown as first he, partnering with Usama Waheed, won the men’s 35 plus doubles final and then he, pairing with Muhammad Shakeel, claimed the men’s 40 plus doubles title.

It is worth mentioning here that Talha Waheed is number one ranked tennis player in seniors 35 plus doubles in national category and it was his fourth consecutive year of registering title victories in the ITF Seniors events in Pakistan.

It was the second crown for the pair of Iftikhar Ahmad Rao and Zahid Rai, who defeated Ghazanfar Ali and M Babar after a tough battle with score of 6-7(4), 6-4, 10-4 to clinch the men’s 60 plus doubles title.

Earlier, they stunned the strong pair of Khurram Kh and Asad Niaz to lift the men’s 65 plus doubles title.

In the men’s 40 plus singles final, Gujranwala’s M Shakeel of Corps 30 registering an impressive victory against spirited Talha Waheed with a ashore of 6-1, 6-3. M Shakeel earlier had won the 40 plus doubles title, partnering with Talha Waheed, as it was also Shakeel’s second title in the event.