Pak juniors shine in ITF tennis

The Subh-e-Nau ITF Pakistan Junior International Tennis Championship (Leg-II) continued at the PTF Tennis Complex in Islamabad, featuring competitive matches from rising tennis talent across the world. The tournament, organized under the Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF), has attracted a strong international field with 22 boys and 19 girls representing 15 countries. Participants include players from Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Singapore, Japan, China, Australia, Russia, Poland, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Hong Kong, the Netherlands, and Thailand, highlighting the growing global presence of junior tennis in the region. The event is being supported by several sponsors, including Bank Alfalah, Serena Hotel Islamabad, Mri Energlies, Arif Habib Group of Companies, and Subh-e-Nau, all of whom continue to play a key role in promoting tennis development in Pakistan. In the boys’ singles category, Pakistani players delivered an impressive performance, with five athletes securing places in the quarterfinals. Mikaael Ali Baig, Hamza Roman, Abubakar Talha, Amir Mazari, and Ahtesham Humayun advanced after strong displays in their respective matches. Among notable results, Mikaeel Ali Baig defeated fellow Pakistani Abdaar Ali 6-0, 6-0 in a dominant performance. Hamza Roman also impressed with a straight-sets win over Jamie Chen of Hong Kong, 6-3, 6-3. Ahtesham Humayun overcame Turkey’s Sarp Akan Ercan in a three-set battle, 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, showing resilience under pressure. Abubakar Talha progressed after Ruoyu Hua of China retired during their match, while Amir Mazari advanced via walkover after Agarwal of India was unable to compete. Other international results included wins for players from China, Japan, Sri Lanka, and Hong Kong, reflecting the high level of competition throughout the draw. In the girls’ singles second round, several international players moved into the next stage with strong performances. China’s Yitong Lu advanced via walkover, while Russia’s Varvara Rubtsova defeated Japan’s Kiko Okuyama in a three-set match, 6-2, 2-6, 6-1. Kazakhstan’s Safiia Urazalina beat Pakistan’s Romaisa Malik 6-0, 6-1, while China’s Ai Teng delivered a commanding 6-0, 6-0 win over Poland’s Yuliia Artiuhina. Zhiyyu Zhou and Yijia Wang from China also secured convincing victories against their respective opponents. Japan, Thailand, and Kazakhstan also featured in tightly contested matches, with Yelizaveta Slepchenko edging past Pakistan’s Zunaisha Noor 6-3, 6-4. The championship continues to provide a valuable platform for junior players to gain international exposure and competitive experience, while also strengthening Pakistan’s position as a host for global tennis events.