Pakistan lost another Davis Cup tie, and this time the winner was Paraguay. This is the fourth defeat for Pakistan since 2023, yet there is no sign whether Pakistan Tennis Federation is alarmed or worried.

This ‘incessant defeat’ thing is no more a concern for PTF as they seem not to have taken remedial or corrective measures after such defeats despite that one of the easiest ways is to act upon the report of manager or non-playing captain after every tie.

But this never happens at PTF. This is simply not the thing PTF is going to do even in future. Let’s examine the captain’s report after Davis Cup World Group-II 1st round tie between Pakistan and Barbados in September last year.

The captain in his report to the then Secretary PTF (the same secretary who accompanied the national team for recent tie against Paraguay) clearly mentioned ‘broader structural challenges and developmental concerns’ affecting the country’s performance in Davis Cup.

The captain put on record that there is a set pattern of ‘avoidable shortcomings’ that are conducive in making the national team face defeat after defeat in Davis Cup and the top shortcoming was ‘over-reliance on veteran players’.

The report proposed specific short and long-term corrective actions which were according to the captain essential for the national team to stay competitive at the Davis Cup level.

The report was actually a ‘constructive roadmap’ towards sustainable growth, strategic planning, and generational transition in Pakistan tennis but sadly it was never taken seriously by the PTF management.

The examination of the report reveals some very important factors affecting national tennis teams participating in Davis Cup ties. The report showed concerns over Shoaib and Yousaf’s lack of composure and tactical clarity against experienced opposition.

According to sources captain clearly stated that new talent must be included as more aged players lacked fitness in doubles match while continued reliance on veteran players risks stagnation and leaves the team vulnerable.

Regarding the team’s balance, the captain suggested that inclusion of younger players must be balanced with better preparation and support to ensure they compete, not just participate.

The captain recommended some short term measures which included holding preparatory camps on surface types similar to the tie locations and increasing participation of younger players in international ITF Futures and Challengers for match sharpness.

He also suggested a long term strategy which is gradually phasing out reliance on aging players in critical rubbers, grooming younger players even at the cost of short-term results, establishing a national doubles programme focused on team chemistry and specialization, and integrating modern sports science (data analytics, injury prevention, and physical conditioning) in the core training framework.

But sadly it seems none of his recommendations and suggestions were taken seriously by the management of PTF and they repeated the same errors in the tie against Paraguay and the result was the same - another defeat.

According to media reports, Pakistan, ranked 53, were effortlessly brushed aside 3-1 by Paraguay, ranked 64, in their World Group II first-round tie on the red clay courts of Asunción.

The defeat once again highlighted a crisis of governance in Pakistan tennis. Aisam, 46, did not shy away from fielding himself as a player without any trials, which cost dearly to the national team.

After losing singles on the day one, the doubles match was Pakistan’s supposed lifeline led by veterans Aqeel Khan and Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi, both in their forties, but they lost the match and the tie.

Interestingly, the national tennis fraternity has many times voiced concerns over the inclusion of Aisam and Aqeel in the national teams for Davis Cup ties due to their age factor, yet they don’t seem bothered about this.

At 46, Aisam is long past his prime. Besides, he is the President of PTF and should not in any case select himself as the team member for Davis Cup ties.

In countries like India, Australia, or Spain, federation heads are administrators, not active athletes.

Their role is to secure funding, develop junior pathways, and appoint capable captains.

In Pakistan, however, the lines are blurred: the PTF’s top office-bearer was also on the frontline, losing to players half his age.

This dual role creates a clear conflict of interest, undermining both merit-based selection and the federation’s credibility on the world stage.

In addition to this, the national team had problems with its preparations for the tie as a grand national camp was staged in Islamabad while Pakistan’s official pre-tie training camp was held in Turkey for four days.

The camp in Turkey was only for Aisam, Aqeel and captain Haseeb Aslam (with the team’s physiotherapist) while the younger members of the squad Muzammil, Huzaifa, and 15-year-old US-based Mikaeel Ali Baig were not made part of the said camp which affected their vital red-clay preparations.

This selective approach left Pakistan relying almost entirely on its veterans while juniors remained undercooked, thus on a demanding surface like clay, where preparation is everything, Pakistan effectively entered the tie two steps behind.

The PTF did not hold national trials to select the junior members of the team and once again “experience” was used as a fig leaf to recycle veterans.

This is the high time PTF must realise that tennis federations around the world exist to nurture talent and manage the sport, not to provide playing opportunities for the officials.

Paraguay moves forward with momentum, while Pakistan is left once more to reflect on its mismanagement. Pakistan Tennis Federation is turning Davis Cup into a stage for nostalgia instead of progress by making the green flag keep flying over empty victories of the past, not new triumphs in the present.