A new longform feature highlighting the legacy of South Asian tennis pioneers is drawing global attention to the intersection of sport, leadership, and social impact — and reinforcing how storytelling and technology are emerging as tools for expanding racquet sports participation worldwide.
Published by The Global South Asia Times, the feature “From Pakistan’s Courts to Global Tennis History” examines the careers and cultural influence of Pakistani tennis trailblazer Haroon Rahim, ATP doubles star and humanitarian Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi, and athlete-turned-entrepreneur Hassan Akmal, founder of the Career and Life Design Lab and Career and Life Design AI platform.
The article frames tennis not simply as competition, but as a vehicle for opportunity and global connection — particularly for athletes from emerging tennis markets where financial barriers and limited infrastructure often restrict professional pathways. The story arrives at a symbolic moment following Qureshi’s 2026 retirement from professional tennis, marking a generational transition for South Asian representation on the global stage.
Rahim, Pakistan’s first Top-40 ATP player and youngest Davis Cup representative, is recognized as a foundational figure whose success helped introduce international credibility to South Asian tennis. Qureshi later expanded that influence, reaching World No. 8 in doubles while using the sport as a diplomatic platform through the widely recognized “Stop War, Start Tennis” peace campaign.
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- Aisam Ul-Haq Qureshi, President, Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) (PRNewsfoto/The Global South Asia Times)
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- Hassan Akmal, CEO, President, and Chief Architect of Superintelligence, Career and Life Design AI (PRNewsfoto/The Global South Asia Times)
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- Haroon Rahim, UCLA Men’s Tennis Team (PRNewsfoto/The Global South Asia Times)
At the center of the feature is Akmal, a former UCLA player who transitioned from competitive tennis into higher education leadership, humanitarian work, and technology entrepreneurship. Through Career and Life Design AI — a human-centered platform blending storytelling, mentorship, and artificial intelligence — Akmal aims to provide youth, particularly those from underrepresented communities, with tools to design career paths and pursue purpose-driven futures.
The narrative highlights a recurring reality within professional tennis: many aspiring players operate as independent entrepreneurs, often investing significant personal resources simply to compete internationally. By connecting legacy storytelling with modern AI-driven career development, the Career and Life Design Lab positions itself as part of a broader movement using sport as an entry point for education, mental wellness, and social mobility.
For the racquet sports industry, the feature underscores an expanding global conversation around access and inclusion. As tennis and pickleball continue to grow beyond traditional power markets, investment in grassroots development, mentorship, and digital infrastructure is increasingly viewed as essential to cultivating the next generation of players.
More than a historical tribute, the piece serves as a call to action — encouraging federations, brands, and investors to support emerging talent long before athletes reach professional headlines. The legacy of Rahim, Qureshi, and Akmal, the article argues, demonstrates that the future of tennis may depend as much on opportunity and belief as on rankings and results.
According to The Global South Asia Times, the initiative reflects a growing effort to connect sport, innovation, and humanitarian leadership, using tennis as a platform to inspire young athletes across South Asia and beyond to see a place for themselves on the world stage.
