Karachi: The Pakistan Wheelchair Tennis Team has arrived at Pattaya Greta Sports Club to participate in the BNP Paribas World Team Cup Asia/Oceania Qualification competitions. This is a historic moment as it marks Pakistan’s second time ever participating in this ITF wheelchair event, and they are looking to build on their impressive 4th place finish in Asia last year in Antalya, Turkey.
The team, comprising Asif Abbasi, Fida Hussain, and Muhammad Ayub Khan, are joined by their non-playing captain and coach Muhammad Khalid Rehmani. They are all set to take on eight other male teams from the region, including Australia, China, India, Iraq, Korea, Sri Lanka, and host Thailand.
The competition promises to be intense, but the Pakistan team is well-prepared and determined to put their best foot forward. Asif Abbasi, in particular, has been on a roll, with an impressive ITF world ranking and recent success in a wheelchair tournament in the UK, where he reached the final in Men’s singles and the semi-finals in Doubles.
If the team emerges victorious in this competition, they will earn a spot in the World Team Cup Final to be held later this year in the USA, where they will have a chance to compete against the best teams from all regions of the world. Pakistan Tennis Federation’s President, Mr. Salim Saifullah Khan, has set his sights even higher, with the aim of qualifying for the Asian Paralympic Games in China later this year and the Paris Paralympic Games in 2024. We wish the Pakistan Wheelchair Tennis Team all the best in their quest for success and hope they make their country proud on the international stage.