ISLAMABAD, Oct 07 (APP): Pakistan’s leading women tennis players Ushna Suhail and Mahin Aftab Qureshi on Wednesday created history by becoming the first Pakistani pair to win a doubles match at a World Tennis Women’s Futures tournament.
Competing in the W15 Islamabad–World Tennis Women’s Futures Championships 2026 at the PTF Tennis Complex, Islamabad, Ushna and Mahin defeated compatriot Romisa Malik and South Africa’s Nissa Finnigan 6-0, 6-0 in the opening round of the doubles event.
The victory enabled the Pakistani duo to advance to the second round and earn valuable WTA ranking points, marking a significant milestone for women’s tennis in the country.
Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) President Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi, Secretary General Col. Zia-ud-Din Tufail (Retd) and the PTF management congratulated Ushna and Mahin on their historic achievement.
They expressed the hope that the pair’s performance would inspire a new generation of female tennis players in Pakistan.
The first leg of the W15 Islamabad Championships is being sponsored by Fatima Group and features 30 players from 17 countries, including France, China, Russia, Denmark, Mexico, Uzbekistan, South Africa, the Netherlands, Korea, Nepal, Japan, Hong Kong, Germany, Thailand, Türkiye, the Czech Republic and Pakistan.
France’s Astrid Cirotte, ranked 624th in the world, is the top seed in the tournament.
Besides Ushna and Mahin, Pakistan’s other representatives include Meheq Khokhar, Romaisa Malik and Hajra Sohail.
In the women’s singles first round, Wozuko Mdlulwa of South Africa defeated Mahin Aftab Qureshi 4-6, 7-6(7), 7-5, while Nepal’s Abhilasha Bista beat Romisa Malik 6-0, 6-1.
Russia’s Sofiia Suslova defeated compatriot Liliya Piskun 0-6, 6-3, 6-1, while Denmark’s Elena Jamshidi blanked Pakistan’s Meheq Khokhar 6-0, 6-0.
Uzbekistan’s Sevil Yuldasheva defeated Russia’s Anna Simkina 6-0, 6-0, Germany’s Anastasiya Kuparev overcame Pakistan’s Hajra Sohail 6-4, 6-1, and Japan’s Suzuna Oigawa beat Korea’s Jeong Moon 6-2, 6-2.
In the other women’s doubles first-round matches, South Africa’s Warona Mdlulwa and Wozuko Mdlulwa defeated Russia’s Sofiia Suslova and Liliya Piskun 6-3, 6-2.
Japan’s Suzuna Oigawa and Hong Kong’s Kei Yau Cheung beat Uzbekistan’s Sabrina Olimjanova and Russia’s Varvara Rubtsova 6-2, 6-2, while Russia’s Julia Khramtsova and Ksenia Laskutova defeated Türkiye’s Serife Pelin Sari and Nepal’s Abhilasha Bista 6-1, 6-1.
The championship matches will resume on Thursday at 10am.
Source: APP (Associated Press of Pakistan)
