Dubai (UAE): The Islamabad Tennis Association (ITA) has secured a remarkable victory at the ITF Master Tournament held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). ITA Chairman Tariq Murtaza and Secretary Tufail Cheema clinched the Senior Doubles title in the 70+ event, showcasing outstanding performance throughout the tournament.
Murtaza and Cheema dominated the competition, securing the title by winning all four of their round-robin matches and earning four points. In their final match, they defeated Marian Mocon (POL) / Danut Sturzolu (ROU) in straight sets with a 6-3, 6-3 victory.
Their journey to the title included the following wins:
First Match: Defeated Mridul Barkatoti / Surinder Mohan Sharma (IND) – 7-5, 6-3
Second Match: Received a walkover against Dieter Kuhnert (GER) / Ponnuchamy Paramasivam (IND)
Third Match: Overcame the strong Indian pair George Thomas Puthuparambil / Sulumaran Veettil in a thrilling three-set battle – 6-2, 6-7(3), 10-5
Final Match: Defeated Marian Mocon (POL) / Danut Sturzolu (ROU) – 6-3, 6-3
This victory is particularly impressive as it marks the first time this pair has competed in an international event outside Pakistan.
Other Notable Pakistani Performances
In addition to Murtaza and Cheema’s triumph, other Pakistani players also delivered remarkable performances:
Hamid ul Haq, former Davis Cup player and captain of the Pakistan team, won the 55+ Doubles title and was runner-up in the 60+ Singles event.
Rashid Malik (Pride of Performance) reached both the 60+ Singles and Doubles finals but, unfortunately, had to withdraw due to the serious illness of his elder brother.
Inam ul Haq & Nisar Waqar secured the 65+ Doubles title.
Nisar Waqar also finished as runner-up in the 70+ Singles event.
The Islamabad Tennis Association (ITA), along with its President Majid Bashir, Senior Executive Vice President Muhammad Arif Qureshi, and members of the Islamabad Tennis Club, congratulated Tariq Murtaza, Tufail Cheema, and other Pakistani players for their outstanding performances and for bringing laurels to Pakistan. (PR)
