Pakistan’s celebrated tennis player Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi closed his international career on Saturday after the national pair fell short in the ATP Challenger Cup doubles final in Islamabad.

In the first ATP Challenger Cup held in Pakistan, Aisam-ul-Haq and Muzammil Murtaza reached the men’s doubles final at the PTF Tennis Complex. They lost a close contest as Dominik Palan of the Czech Republic and Denis Yevseyev of Kazakhstan secured the title 7-6 and 6-4.

The conclusion of the doubles event marked Aisam-ul-Haq’s retirement from the international circuit, a moment that drew tributes from tennis followers across the country. He said that he felt great pride in raising Pakistan’s profile around the world and thanked supporters for their encouragement.

Aisam-ul-Haq stated that he would continue to represent Pakistan in the Davis Cup and would remain committed to encouraging and promoting new talent in national tennis.