ISLAMABAD: Top seed Aqeel Khan displayed excellent tennis in overpowering Abbas Khan in the first round of men’s singles of the Subh-e-Nau National Clay Court Tennis Championship here at the PTF Complex on Tuesday.

Aqeel registered his straight victory 6-0, 6-1.

In another interesting match, Muzammil Murtaza beat Syed Nofil Kaleem 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 in a match which lasted for more than two hours in scorching heat. Nofil won the well contested first set but could not finish the match as Muzammil played with exceptional skills and stamina to clinch the tie.

Other players who reached second round of Men’s Singles include Abdal Haider, Huzaifa Abdul Rehman, Yasir Khan, Babar Ali Akbar, Usman Rafique, Shaheen Mehmood, Raja Shahid, Shehzad Khan, Heera Ashiq, Aman Atique, Shahid Afridi and M. Abid.

In the U-18 category, Shoaib Khan, Kashan Umar, Saqib Umar, Aman Atique, Ihtesham Abbasi, Aqib Umar, Asadullah, Yousuf Khan, Farhanullah, Syed Nofil Kaleem and Yasir Manzoor moved to second round of the category. The match between Kashan Umar was also well contested as both players displayed quality game but was ultimately won by Kashan 6-4, 7-6(5).

Results:

Men’s singles (1st round): Aqeel Khan bt Abbas Khan 6-0, 6-1, Abdal Haider bt Kashanul Haq 6-0, 6-2, Huzaifa Rehman bt Malik Hamza 6-1, 6-3, Mudassar Murtaza bt Ahmed Babar 7-6(3), 6-3, Yasir Khan bt Shehzad PAF 6-3, 6-0, Babar Ali Akbar bt Usman Ijaz 7-6(2), 7-5, Usman Rafique bt Shakirullah 6-2, 6-3, Muzammil Murtaza bt Syed Nofil Kaleem 5-7, 6-4, 6-3, Shaheen Mehmood bt Saqib Umar 6-2 6-3, Raja Shahid bt Asadullah 6-0, 6-0, Shehzad Khan bt Haris Irfanul Haq 6-2, 6-2, Heera Ashiq bt Barkatullah 6-2, 6-1, Aman Atiq bt Jibarnul Haq 6-4, 6-0, Shahid Afridi bt Ijaz Ahmed 6-1, 6-3, Muhammad Abid bt Irfanullah 6-2, 6-2, Arham Atique bt Waqas Malik 7-6(4), 6-1.

Boys U-18 (1st round): Shoaib Khan bt Mujahid Zaib — walkover; Kashan Umar bt M. Abdullah 6-4, 7-6(5), Saqib Umar bt Abdul Wahab Anwar 6-1, 6-1, Aman Atiq bt Nalain Abbas 6-1, 6-2, Ihtesham Abbasi bt Ubaidullah 6-1, 6-2, Aqib Umar bt Haseebullah 6-3, 6-3, Asadullah bt Ilham Khan — walkover, Yousuf Khan bt Hafiz Arbab Ali — walkover, Farhanullah bt Hamza Khalid 6-2, 6-3, Syed Nofil Kaleem bt Waleed Anwar — walkover, Yasir Manzoor bt Abdullah Tayyab — walkover, Abdullah Adnan bt Bilal Kabir 6-0, 6-1, Barkatullah bt Ahmed Kamil 6-0, 6-0, Haris Irfanul Haq bt Syed Muhammad Ahmed — walkover.

Published in Dawn, May 11th, 2016