ISLAMABAD: Mohammad Shoaib became Pakistan’s sole remaining hope in the Pakistan ITF Championship (M-15 Leg-2) after advancing to the quarter-finals on Thursday, while veterans Aqeel Khan and Muzammil Murtaza crashed out of the event here at the PTF Tennis Complex.

Shoaib progressed without striking a ball in the second round as his Canadian opponent Adam Farag-Cao retired due to abdominal issues when trailing 6-1.

The Pakistani’s passage keeps local singles hopes alive heading into the quarter-finals.

Earlier, top seed Samir Hamza Reguig of Algeria dismissed 46-year-old Aqeel 6-4, 6-3. Aqeel had made history earlier this week as the oldest player ever to win an ITF professional match.

Russian Nikita Ianin, who lost to Shoaib in last week’s Leg-1 final, overcame Pakistan’s Muzammil Murtaza in a tight contest, winning 7-6(9/7), 6-4.

In doubles action, Muzammil found consolation by reaching the semis alongside Kazakh partner Grigoriy Lomakin. The pair defeated Britain’s Carl Holder and Germany’s Stevan Popovic 6-3, 7-5.

Other second-round singles results saw Turkey’s Kerem Yilmaz battle past Russia’s Ivan Iutkin 5-7, 6-3, 6-4, while Kazakhstan’s Grigoriy Lomakin beat Russia’s Uladzislau Tarasevich 6-3, 7-5. Edoardo Cherie Ligniere of Italy downed China’s Fumin Jiang 6-2, 6-3, and Sweden’s Arvid Nordquist cruised past Popovic 6-1, 6-3.

In doubles quarters, the Turkish pair of Melih Anavatan and Mert Naci Turker came from behind to defeat Pakistan’s Mikaeel Ali Baig and Ahmad Nael Qureshi 2-6, 6-3, 10-6. Russian pair Nikita and Andrei Kunitsyn advanced via walkover.

Published in Dawn, May 8th, 2026