LAHORE: Contesting in two age group categories, former Davis Cupper and Pakistan non-playing captain Rashid Malik is on the way to grab three titles in the ITF Senior Tennis Championships at Bagh-i-Jinnah courts here on Friday.

He had won the titles in 50 and 45 age groups and he had also qualified for the 45 age group’s singles final to be played on Saturday, the last day of the event.

Rashid with Imran Ahmad Khan defeated Faisal Majeed-Mohammad Arif to win the men’s doubles title (45 years group) with the score being 4-6, 6-2, 13-11.

He then grabbed the second title while pairing with Rai Zahid and defeated Malak Inamullah Khan and Rao Iftikhar 6-4, 6-4 to win the 50 age group.

Rashid defeated Adeel Rizwan 6-1, 6-1 in the first semi-final of men’s singles (45 age group) to qualify for the final, where he will meet Israr Gul Khan, who defeated Nawaz Afzal 6-4, 6-0 in the second semi-final.

In other finals, Inamullah Khan struggled hard against Indian top seed Pawan Jain for two hours to win the men’s singles 50 age group final with the score being 7-6 (5), 6-4.

Indian Rakesh Kholi defeated Mobin Malik in a fightless final with the score being 6-0, 6-0 to win the men’s singles 55 age group title.

Chaudhry Mushtaq, the coach of the Bagh-i-Jinnah tennis academy also won two titles.

He won men’s singles 55 Age group title against Pervaiz Bajwa 6-2, 6-2.

In the men’s doubles 65 round robin contest, Mushtaq with his partner Laiq Ahmad Pirzada defeated Mohammad Ashraf-Imtiaz Hussain Malik 6-2, 6-1 in the last match to grab the title.

In the men’s doubles (35 age group), the honour went to Adnan Khan-Shehryar Salamat, who defeated Mohammad Arif and Israr Gul 6-4, 6-7, 10-8 to win the title.

In the men’s doubles 55 age group, which was also played on round robin basis, Christopher Bureau of France and Gul Hamid Khan of Pakistan defeated Akbar Hayat Khan (Pakistan) and Rakesh Kholi (India) 7-5, 6-2 to win the title.

Closing ceremony will be held on Saturday where Director General Sports Board Usman Anwar will be the chief guest.

Published in Dawn, November 7th, 2015

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