KARACHI, May 12: Left-handed teenager Adnan Khan stole the limelight on the third day KC Summer National Tennis championship, when he caused two upsets on Thursday at the Karachi Club. Meeting fifth seed Mohammad Shafiq in the men’s singles, Adnan excelling in forceful double fisted forehand and backhand smashes made short work of his opponent 6-1, 6-3.
Not satisfied with this upset, Adnan had more in store for the tennis fans. Teaming up with Khalid Ali Nazar in the men’s doubles, Adnan and Khalid had to bring out their very best in toppling the second seeds Jalil Khan and Mehmood Khan in straight sets 7-5, 6-4.
But Khalid was not so lucky in his men’s singles, going down to Asim Shafiq 6-2, 6-0.
Second seed Nomi Qamar advanced into the last 16, disposing off Salman Aslam 6-0, 6-0, while Jalil Khan had to work hard to get the better of Tanvir Ashiq 7-6 (7-3), 6-1.
Earlier in the morning session, Tanvir was engaged in a hectic see-saw tussle with M. Manzar, before coming through a 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (7-4) winner.
Also bowing out was Tanvir’s brother Munir, going down to the Pakistan Davis Cup captain Rashid Malik 6-2, 6-2.
In two other matches going to the wire, Shahid Afridi beat Jehanzeb Khan 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 and Shehzad Khan finally got the better of Shahid Khan 7-6, 6-7, 6-4, in a match that lasted three and half hours.
In the boys under-17 event, top seed Yasir Khan beat Ahmed Aslam 6-1, 6-3 and Omer Baber breezed through to the next round with a 6-1, 6-0 triumph over Hidayatullah.
However, Hidayatullah can gain some measure of satisfaction, moving ahead in the under-15 event, sending Vicky Kumar packing in a hard fought out 6-1, 4-6, 6-2 victory.
Joining Hidayatullah into the next round were Amir Darwesh a 6-1, 6-0 winner over Asif Fareed and bespectacled Ghulam Abbas Panju, who cruised past Abdul Rehman 6-1, 6-2.
Sunny Williams seems to have the under-13 title within his grasp, with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Hasan Azad. Also going through was Vicky Kumar who kept is nerves intact while ousting Shamoon 6-3, 6-4.
Sunny’s brother William failed to make it through to the next round beaten by Omer Shahid 6-0, 6-4, while Zohair Raza had little difficulty in going past Ahsan Ali 6-1, 6-0.
In the men’s doubles, the formidable combination of Asad Ali Bhagat and Shahid Khan prevailed over Mehboob Khan and Gul Hameed 6-1, 6-0, while the Ashiq brothers Tanvir and Munir came out on top against the Hussain brothers Saqib and Sajid 6-4, 6-3 in a hard fought out encounter. In the ladies event, Sara Mehboob beat Gul Rukh 6-1, 4-0 (retired) and Quratul Ain overwhelmed Alifye Saif 6-0, retired after the hot afternoon sun took its toil.
In other matches, Nabiha Haq beat Shakeela Rehman 6-2, 6-2, while Aley Zehra downed Binesh Junejo 6-2, 6-0.
In two more matches played in the men’s doubles Omer Baber and Mohammad Baber cruished past Fahad Ali and Ahmed Aslam 6-3, 6-1 while Inam Gul and Shahid Afridi outlasted Rashid Malik and Asif Raja 6-4, 7-6.
Results:
Men’s singles (qualifying): Jehanzeb Khan bt Fahad Ali 6-2, 6-4.
Men’s singles: Adnan Khan bt Mohammad Shafiq 6-1, 6-3. Asim Shafiq bt Khalid Ali Nazar 6-2, 6-0. Tanvir Munir bt M. Manzar 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (7-4). Nomi Qamar bt Salman Aslam 6-0, 6-0. Jalil Khan bt Tanvir Ashiq 7-6 (7-3), 6-1. Shahid Afridi bt Jehanzeb Khan 2-6, 6-4, 6-1. Shehzad Khan Shahid Khan 7-6, 6-7, 6-4, Rashid Malik bt Munir Ashiq 6-2, 6-2.
Boys singles under-17 Yasir Khan bt Ahmed Aslam 6-1, 6-3. Omer Baber bt Hidayatullah 6-1, 6-0.
Boys singles under-13 Sunny Williams bt Hasan Azad 6-1, 6-1. Zohair Raza bt Ahasn Ali 6-1, 6-0. Omer Shahid bt Wilson Williams 6-0, 6-4, Vicky Kumar bt Shamoon 6-3, 6-4.
Men’s doubles: Adnan Khan and Khalid Ali Nazar bt Jalil Khan and Mehmood Khan 7-5, 6-4. Omer Baber and Mohammad Baber bt Fahad Ali and Ahmed Aslam 6-3, 6-1. Inam Gul and Shahid Afridi bt Rashid Malik and Asif Raja 6-4, 7-6.