Shoaib cruises into second straight ITF final
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Mohammad Shoaib continued his extraordinary run of form, storming into the final of the Pakistan ITF Championship (M-15 Leg-2) with a dominant 6-3, 6-2 triumph over Edoardo Cherie Ligniere of Italy here at the PTF Tennis Complex on Saturday.
Displaying aggressive tennis from the baseline, Shoaib thrilled the home crowd and secured his place in a second consecutive ITF final. He becomes the first Pakistani player since Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi to achieve back-to-back finals in an ITF professional event.
“InshaAllah, I will give my best effort to win the final on Sunday, Shoaib said after the match”
The 24-year-old Shoaib will face Arvid Nordquist in the title match, after the Swedish player advanced when Russia’s Nikita Ianin retired after losing the first set in the other semi-final.
Shoaib won the Leg-1 singles title last Sunday, ending a 20-year drought for Pakistan. He will now attempt to complete a rare back-to-back championship sweep in front of his home crowd.
Earlier, the men’s doubles final saw Russian pair Andrei Kunitsyn and Ianin claim the title with a commanding 6-0, 7-6(7/9) victory over Turkey’s Mert Naci Turker and Melih Anavatan.
A total of 86 players from 22 nations, including Pakistan, Russia, Sweden, China, France, Germany, and Japan, are competing in the event.
Published in Dawn, May 10th, 2026