August 30, 2006	Wednesday	Sha'aban 5, 1427

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KARACHI, Aug 29: Pakistan’s unseeded Khurram Nazir created quite a stir when he edged out top seed Krittanu Puthong of Thailand in well contested straight sets to propel into the last eight of boys singles of ITF Pakistan World Junior Ranking tennis championship (second leg) at Islamabad Club on Tuesday.

Khurram won 6-4, 7-6 (4) to become the second home player to make it to the quarter-finals.

Third seed Omer Babar survived a scare when he struggled to beat Indian Lakshit Sood in three agonising sets 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (8).

Pakistan’s main hope and losing finalist of the first leg, Yasir Khan, made an unceremonious exit when he was humbled by Indian qualifier Akshay Kohli in straight sets.

Akshay registered 6-3, 6-2 victory without getting much resistance from his opponent. He was beaten by eventual champion Tanveer Ashiq 6-3, 6-4 in the pre-final of the first leg.

Joining the above three in last eight were Chandril Sood, Shiva Sangwan, Rahul Balwal, Ronak Mahesh Manuja (India) and Ryan Cheung (US).

The girls’ singles also reached the last eight stage and those who qualified were Karina Ahuja, Nandita Krishana (India), Saba Aziz, Natasha Afridi (Pakistan), Saana Saarteinen (Finland), and Parichart Charoensukployphol (Thailand).

Results:

Boys’ singles: (second round)

Khurram Nazir (Pak) bt Krittanu Puthong (Thai) 6-4,7-6(4); Akshay Kohli (Ind) bt Yasir Khan (Pak) 6-3,6-2; Chandril Sood (Ind) bt Debendra Das (Ind) 7-6(5),6-4; Shiva Sangwan (Ind) bt Dhruv Gupta (Ind) 7-5,6-4; Omer Babar (Pak) bt Lakshit Sood (Ind) 6-4,4-6,7-6(8); Rahul Balwal (Ind) bt Vishesh Deepak Bhatia (Ind) 6-7(3),6-4,6-4; Ronak Mahesh Manuja (Ind) bt Dineshkanthan Thangarajah (SL) 6-1,6-0; Ryan Cheung (US) bt Parul Virma (Ind) 6-3,7-6(4).

Boys’ doubles: (first round)

Ryan Cheung (US) - Krittanu Puthong (Thai) bt Usman Ejaz Yousaf (Pak) - Prithiv Sugumar (Ind) 6-1,6-3; Chandril Sood - Lakshit Sood (Ind) bt Prajouabphansri Kreangkrai - Suecharoenkuj Kriangkrai (Thai) 6-1,6-0; Akshay Kohli - Debendra Das (Ind) bt Heera Ashiq - Imran Shaukat (Pak) 6-3,6-1; Mansingh Athare - Vishesh Deepak Bhatia (Ind) bt Khurram Nazir - Omer Babar (Pak) 6-3,6-3; Ronak Mahesh Manuja - Muddappa Appanervanda (Ind) bt Krishik Divakar - Shiva Sangwan (Ind) 6-3,6-3; Tanveer Ashiq - Yasir Khan (Pak) bt M. Waqas Malik (Pak) - Dineshkanthan Thangarajah (SL) 6-4,6-2; Nasir Mushtaq Ahmed - Danish Ahmed (Pak) bt Abid Ali - Nouman ul Haq (Pak) 6-2,6-2.

Girls’ singles: (first round)

Karina Ahuja (Ind) bt Anoosha Aslam (Pak) 6-0,6-1; Saba Aziz (Pak) bt Mehek Khokhar (Pak) 6-0,6-2; Saana Saarteinen (Fin) bt Richa Valichha (Ind) 6-1,6-0; Natasha Afridi (Pak) bt Mohana Chintala (Ind) 5-7,7-6(4),6-4; Nandita Krishana (Ind) bt Sarah Mahboob Khan (Pak) 6-3,6-1; Parichart Charoensukployphol (Thai) bt Aamina Hamid (Pak) 6-0,6-1.