ISLAMABAD: Hamza Roman kept Pakistan’s hopes alive in the boys’ singles by reaching the semi-finals at the J-30 PPL Pakistan World Junior Tennis Championships here at the PTF Tennis Complex on Thursday.
The 17-year-old Hamza defeated Aahil Kaleel of Sri Lanka 6-3, 7-5 to book his place in the last four.
His compatriots fell short, with Ahtesham Humayun losing to Belarus’ Aliaksandr Viarsotski 6-2, 6-7(3/7), 7-5 and Mohammad Hassan Usmani going down to Thailand’s Phasin Sinchalong 6-4, 6-4.
In the other boys’ quarter-final, Napat Pattanalertphan of Thailand beat Russian player Nikita Dogadin 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(7/5).
The boys’ and girls’ doubles quarters were postponed due to rain and will be played on Friday as per the revised schedule.
Six Pakistan players in the boys’ section — Hamza, Ahtesham, Haziq Asim, Hassan, Amir Mazari and Abdul Basit — along with Hajra Sohail remain in contention in the doubles quarter-finals.
In the girls’ singles last-eight fixtures, China’s Meimei Hu beat Evelina Dzepa of Russia 6-2, 6-3; Pimpisa Wongwanitkajon (Thailand) downed Arianna Grigorian (Russia) 6-0, 4-6, 6-1; Victoria Gruntova (Russia) beat Yijia Wang (China) 6-4, 6-1; and Varvara Rubrsova (Russia) defeated Yuqi Li (China) 6-3, 6-4.
Published in Dawn, November 13th, 2026
