October 3, 2003	Friday	Sha’aban 6, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, Oct 2: The Pakistani duo of Shahzad Khan and Wasif Cheema stormed into the boys doubles final on Thursday with an easy semifinal victory in the first leg of the ITF International Junior Tennis Championship at the Islamabad Club courts.

In a fine display of serve and volley game, the two home players brushed aside the Indian pair Lalit Mann and Sandeep Kumar 6-3, 6-2 to set up a meeting in Saturday’s decider with another Indian duo of Sumit Gupta and Vivek Shokeen.

Gupta and Vivek were extended by Peerakit Siributwong of Thailand and Sri Lankan Nishendiran Sivendran before scoring a 7- 5, 2-6, 6-3 win in their semifinal.

On the girls side, Punjaporn Ditthim and Punchanok Khunpitak of Thailand went through to the doubles final with a 6-3, 3-6, 6- 4 knockout of India’s Daksha Mulay and Thailand’s Wannasuk Nungnudda in a match that last almost two hours.

In Friday’s doubles final, the Thai pair will face off India’s Shweta Kakhandaki and Poojashree Venkatesh who outplayed Amita Arudpragasam and Singhe Abey Thiyumi of Sri Lanka 6-0, 6-1 in a one-sided semifinal.

Results:

Boys doubles semifinals: Shahzad Khan-Wasif Cheema (Pak) bt Lalit Mann-Sandeep Kumar (Ind) 6-3, 6-2, Sumit Gupta- Vivek Shokeen (Ind) bt Peerakit Siributwong (Tha)-Nishendiran Sivendran (Sri) 7-5, 2-6, 6-3.

Girls doubles semifinals: Punjaporn Ditthim-Punchanok Khunpitak (Tha) bt Daksha Mulay (Ind)-Wannasuk Nungnudda (Tha) 6- 3, 3-6, 6-4, Shweta Kakhandaki-Poojashree Venkatesh (Ind) bt Amita Arudpragasam-Abey Singhe Thiyumi (Sri) 6-0, 6-1.