Key Points
- Haq and Murtaza became the first all-Pakistani duo to reach an ATP final after defeating Turkey’s third-seeded pair 6-1, 6-4 in the Islamabad Challenger semifinals
- The unseeded pair entered the tournament as wild cards, making their run to the final
- Saturday’s final against Dominik Palan and Denis Yevseyev will also serve as Aisam’s farewell match on the ATP Tour
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s tennis star Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi created history on Friday by reaching the doubles final of the Islamabad ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) Challenger alongside compatriot Muzammil Murtaza.
The unseeded pair, who entered the tournament as wild cards, delivered a commanding 6-1, 6-4 victory over Turkey’s third-seeded team, Mert Alkaya and Alp Horoz, in the semi-finals, becoming the first all-Pakistani duo to advance to an ATP final.
At 44, Aisam has previously played 42 ATP World Tour finals and 58 ATP Challenger finals, but this will be his first-ever ATP final alongside a Pakistani partner.
In Saturday’s final, Aisam and Muzammil will face the fourth-seeded duo of Dominik Palan (Czech Republic) and Denis Yevseyev (Kazakhstan). The match will also mark Aisam’s farewell to the ATP Tour, as he looks to conclude his illustrious career with a triumphant finish.
