ISLAMABAD: While four Pakistan players suffered defeats at the hands of foreign opponents, compatriots Ahmed Nael and Ahtesham Humayun qualified for the boys singles quarter-finals of the ITF Pakistan Zainab Ali Naqvi Memorial World Junior Championship second leg after their respective rivals retired here at the SDA-PTF Tennis Complex on Wednesday.

Bilal Asim, Amir Mazari, Hamid Israr and Ha­mza Asim were outclassed by their foreign opponents.

Ahmed was leading 3-0 against Russia’s Ivan Makarov in the first set when the latter gave up on medical grounds. Similarly, Ahtesham beat Ilya Kryukov, also of Russia, was 4-0 ahead in opening set when his opponent retired hurt.

Meanwhile, Bilal Asim and Ahmed Nael outplayed the Russian duo of Ulad Dalbusin and Ilya Kryukov 6-3, 6-1 in the boys doubles quarter-final.

Results:

Boys singles (pre-quarterfinals): Jacob Kailiang Shen (Hong Kong) bt Xiuyuan guo (China) 4-6, 6-4, 6-1; Jiwan Park (Korea) bt Doruk Elbirlik (Turkey) 4-6, 6-0, 6-0; Kaigaoge Kang (China) bt Bilal Asim (Pakistan) 6-2, 6-4; Dong Hyeon Euom (Korea) bt Amir Mazari (Pakistan) 6-1, 6-0; Shijie Chen (China) bt Hamid Israr (Pakistan) 6-2, 6-4; Ahmed Nael (Pakistan) bt Makarov (Russia) 3-0 — retired; Ahtesham Humayun (Pakistan) bt Ilya Kryukov (Russia) 4-0 — retired; Oscar Reilly (Netherlands) bt Hamza Aasim (Pakistan) 7-6(5), 6-4.

Girls singles (pre-quarterfinals): Stefaniya Neporent (Belarus) bt Deniz Cakil (Turkey) 7-5, 6-3; Gehansa Methndi (Sri Lanka) bt Sheeza Sajid (Pakistan) 6-2, 6-1; Ekatrenia Pestereva (Russia) bt Hinru Zhong (China) 6-2, 7-6(2); Chaewon Whang (Korea) bt Lidia Ratobylskaya (Russia) 6-1, 6-0; :Paramee Tadkaew (Thailand) 6-0, 6-1; Katsiaryna Dubik (Belarus) bt Josefa Beatrice (Philippines) 6-1, 6-0; Kira Kalinouskaya (Belarus) bt Dicle Izgi (Turkey) 6-1, 6-3

Boys doubles (quarter-finals): Dong Hyeon Euom /Jiwan Park (Korea) bt Kieran Lin (US)/ Ivan Makarov (Russia) 6-3, 6-3; Hamid Israr (Pakistan)/Papangkorn Bunyarit (Thailand) bt Howard Chan (Hong Kong)/Xiuyuan Guo 6-4, 6-1; Bilal Asim/Ahmed Nael (Pakistan) bt Ulad Dalbusin/Ilya Kryukov (Russia) 6-3, 6-1

Girls doubles (quarter-finals): Ekatrenia Pestereva (Russia)/ Stefaniya Neporent (Belarus) bt Kira Kalinouskaya/Katsiaryna Dubik (Belarus) 4-1 — retired; Deniz Cakil (Turkey)/ Jingke Yan (China) bt Deren Cetinkaya (Turkey)/Sheeza Sajid (Pakistan) 6-1, 6-0.

Published in Dawn, February 22nd, 2024