ISLAMABAD: As many as 33 matches were decided on the opening day of McDonald’s National Junior Tennis Championships, which started here at the Pakistan Sports Complex on Tuesday.

A total of 128 players are participating in the six-day event.

The day’s best match was the U-18 clash between Hasheesh Kumar and Abdul Samad Areejo, both from Karachi, who exhibited brilliant tennis skills and produced a close match in three marathon sets lasting three hours.

After a tough fight, Kumar won the match 4-6, 6-2, 6-4.

In another close match of the day, Ilham Khan overpowered Zalan Khan. Ilham won the first set 6-3 with his powerful serves and forehand shots. His opponent came back strongly winning the second set 6-3 through his consistent game from the baseline.

However, in the decisive set, Zalan could not continue the momentum as was convincingly thrashed by Ilham 6-1.

Acting director general of the Pakistan Sports Board Mansoor Ahmed Khan was the chief guest at the opening ceremony.

Girls, who are participating in U-18 and U-10 categories, will play their matches on Wednesday.

Results:

Boys U-18 singles:

First round: Mohammad bin Mufassir bt Mohammad Hasham 6-1, 6-0; Ilham Khan bt Zalan Khan 6-3, 3-6, 6-1; Hamza bin Rehan bt Yahya Nawaz 6-1, 6-2; Ahmed Asjad bt Saad Irfan -- walkover; Kamran Khan bt Waleed Qureshi 6-2, 6-2; Hasheesh Kumar bt Abdul Samad Areejo 4-6, 6-2, 6-4; Adnan Khan bt Izhar Iftikhar -- walkover; Musa Chaudhry bt Abdullah Hassan 6-0, 6-2; Asadullah bt Hasan Bin Mufassir 6-1, 6-0; Sami Zaib bt Uzair Khan 6-0; Subhan bin Salik bt Moaiz Bhati 7-5, 6-4

Boys U-14 singles:

First round: Kamran Khan bt Hamza Bin Umar 4-0, 4-0; Huzaima Abdul Rehman bt Adnan Khan 5-3, 4-0; M. Huzaifa Khan bt Bilal Asim 4-5(5), 4-1, 5-4(9); Zalan Khan bt M. Zaryab Khan 4-0, 4-1; Hasheesh Kumar bt Mohammad Hamza Asim -- walkover; Yahya Musa Luni bt Bilal Qazi -- walkover; Hamed Nael bt Ali Akbar 4-0, 4-2; Uzair Khan bt Mohammad Talha Khan 5-3, 4-1; Mahatir Mohammad bt Faiz-ur-Rehman 4-0, 4-0; Hameedullah bt Zain Sultan 4-1, 4-1; Abdul Samad Areejo bt Mohammad Moiz Khan 4-0, 4-0; Azan Sajid bt Musa Mumtaz 4-1, 4-0

Boys U-12 singles:

First round: Azan Sajid bt Ali Akbar 4-1, 4-0; Hamza Roman bt Ibrahim Bin Sohail 4-0, 4-0; Huzaifa Abdul Rehman bt Athisham Humayun 5-4(5), 4-1; Mohammad Hamza Asim bt Hamad Shah — walkover; Mohammad Zaryab Khan bt Abdullah Azhar 4-0, 4-1; Mohammad Huzaifa Khan bt Mohammad Umar 4-0, 4-0; Jamal Shah bt Mustafa Shaukat 4-0, 4-0; Mohammad Talha Khan bt Mohammad Haaziq Asim 4-0, 4-0; Hamza Khan bt Awais Ali — walkover; Hameedullah Yaqub bt Yahya Musa Luni 5-4(5), 3-5, 4-2.

Published in Dawn, November 1st, 2017