Rashid Malik clinched the 23rd Maple Leaf ITF Seniors World Ranking Tennis Championship

Lahore: Rashid Malik thrashed Israr Gul of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by 6-1, 6-4 and clinched the 23^rd Maple Leaf ITF Seniors World Ranking Tennis Championship Men’s Singles 45 Age Group title convincingly here at Bagh-e-Jinnah Tennis Courts.

Director General Sports Punjab Usman Anwar was the chief guest on this occasion. He distributed prizes among the prominent performers of the event.

Earlier, former Pakistan Davis Cup skipper and General Secretary Punjab Lawn Tennis Association (PLTA) Rashid Malik received the honourable chief guest.

In his media talk, DG SBP Usman Anwar appreciated the organisers for holding international tennis event quite successfully. “The successful holding of international tennis tournament is a big evidence that Pakistan is a peaceful country and any kind of global sports events can be staged here without any trouble,” he added.

Usman Anwar said it’s nice feeling to see Indian and French players playing in Pakistan. “It’s not the first occasion Pakistan is organizing a tournament involving international teams or players. We already have hosted several international tournaments and series in the past quite convincingly. Cricket teams from Zimbabwe, Qatar, football teams from Afghanistan, Yemen besides Indo-Pak Punjab Games and International Sports Festival etc are a few events which can be mentioned in this regard,” he explained.

To a question he expressed his hope that more international teams will visit in 2016 and that time is not far when major sports teams will feel no hesitation in playing in Pakistan grounds. “Sports Board Punjab has always provided high-profile security to all visiting international teams and now the prospects are quite bright for Pakistan to host more top level sports teams in near future,” he vowed.

DG SBP Usman Anwar distributes prizes as chief guest.