LAHORE  -  Pakistan’s senior tennis ace Rashid Malik continued his impressive form at the ITF Masters MT700 in Thailand, securing a place in the singles semifinals in the 60+ category and excelling in the doubles’ quarterfinals.

The fourth-seeded Malik delivered a commanding performance in the singles quarterfinals, defeating Germany’s seventh-seeded Peter Schubert in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3. Malik, known for his tactical prowess and exceptional court coverage, maintained complete control throughout the match. His consistent serve and precision shot-making neutralized Schubert’s efforts, marking another stellar achievement in his illustrious career.

In the 60+ doubles category, Malik teamed up with India’s Arun Aggarwal to form the top-seeded pair. The duo showcased their synergy and resilience in a hard-fought quarterfinal match, overcoming Harry De Wit of the Netherlands and Nnamdi Samuels of Great Britain in a closely contested encounter. Malik and Aggarwal clinched the match with identical 7-5, 7-5 sets, demonstrating their ability to deliver under pressure and maintain composure in critical moments.

Elsewhere, Pakistani players faced mixed fortunes in other categories. In the 35+ doubles quarterfinals, Mahir Nisar and Australia’s Murray Decker bowed out after a 1-6, 3-6 defeat to Australia’s Brandon Lee Moore and Frank Schultheiss.

In the 45+ doubles, Pakistan’s Shehryar Salamat, paired with India’s Chandrashakar V, put on a dominant display, defeating Thailand’s PimpaChaiynam and ThanitKhuneerat 6-1, 6-2 to advance to the semifinals. Meanwhile, in the 60+ doubles, Waqar Nisar (PAK) and Kazuhiko Imahashi (JPN) faced a tough challenge against the second-seeded pair of Hakan Gustafsson (SWE) and Zeev Livine (ISR), succumbing to a 0-6, 1-6 loss.

Mahir Nisar and Shehryar Salamat also competed in the 40+ doubles but suffered a narrow defeat in a nail-biting quarterfinal against Julien Mizzon (FRA) and Badri Vishal (IND), losing 7-5, 6-7(5), 6-10 in a match that could have gone either way.With Rashid Malik’s progress to the semifinals and his doubles success, Pakistan’s presence at the ITF Masters MT700 continues to showcase the nation’s competitive spirit on the international tennis stage.