Qualifier Huzaifa shows top seed Zyaan the door

ISLAMABAD: Huzaifa Abdul Rehman started the Syed Tajammul Abbas ITF Pakistan World Junior Ranking Tennis Championships as a qualifier and now finds himself in the semi-finals of the boys’ singles.

The talented Pakistani recorded the biggest upset of the tournament when he sent top seed Ahmed Zyaan of Great Britain packing with a 6-3, 6-2 win at the S Dilawar Abbas PTF Tennis Complex here on Wednesday.

He was joined in the last-four stage by Pakistan’s Saqib Hayat, Malaysia’s Suresh Darrshan and Cheng Wei-Chen of Chinese Taipei.

Saqib was the second Pakistani player on the day to claim an upset victory. He had to rally from one set down to beat fourth seed Rattanan Siritaworchar of Thailand 2-6, 6-4, 6-4.There was no such good news for the promising Muhammad Shoaib, who went down 3-6, 4-6 against Chinese Taipei’s Chen, another qualifier who will now face Huzaifa in the semi-final.

Saqib will face Darrshan in the second semi-final. The second seeded Malaysian was leading 3-0 when his Canadian opponent, Faisal Ghouse, conceded the match on medical grounds.In the girls event, Maheen Qureshi of Pakistan, Yu-Yun-Li (TPE) Bilgic Sedef (TUR) Mert Aysegul (TUR) qualified for the semi-finals by winning their respective matches in straight sets.

On a day of shocks, Turkey’s Aysegul Mert beat third seeded compatriot Aksu Semra 6-4, 6-1 while Bilgic Sedef, also from Turkey, eliminated fourth seed Piwbangruk Natthapat of THA 6-2, 6-0.

The tournament’s top two seeds, Yu Yun-Li of Chinese Taipei and Pakistan’s Maheen Qureshi, were in excellent touch and registered straight-set wins against their respective opponents. Maheen will face Sedef and Aysegul will take on Yun Li in the semi-finals.

Maheen and Yun-Li will play Semra and Sedef in the girls’ doubles final

Results: Boys’ singles quarter-finals: Huzaifa Abdul Rehman (PAK) bt Ahmed Zyaan (GBR) 6-2, 6-2; Cheng Wei-Chen (TPE) bt Muhammad Shoaib (PAK) 6-3, 6-4; Saqib Hayat (PAK) bt Rattanan Siritaworchar (THA) 2-6, 6-4, 6-4; Suresh Darrshan (MAS) bt Faisal Ghous (CAN) 3-0, retired.

Boys’ doubles quarter-finals: Mathew Yee (HKG) & Muhammad Nouman Aftab (PAK) bt Muhammad Shoaib (PAK) & Saqib Hayat (PAK) 7-5, 3-6, 10-8; Rattanan Siritaworchar (THA) & Suresh Darrshan (MAS) bt Ahmed Asjad Qureshi (PAK) & Huzaifa Abdul Rehman (PAK) 7-5, 6-1; Chang Cameron Austin (USA) & Cheng Hsuni Lui (TPE) w/o Ahmed Zyaan (GBR) & Athav Neema (IND); Cheng Wei Chen (TPE) & Chou Wen Yi (TPE) w/o Michael Chung Tinchan (HKG) & Faisal Ghouse (CAN).

Girls’ singles quarter-finals: Maheen Qureshi (PAK) bt Toglukdemir Mina (TUR) 6-0, 6-1; Yu Yun-Li (TPE) bt Srujana Rayarala (IND) 6-2, 6-2; Bilgic Sedef (TUR) bt Piwbangruk Natthapat (THA) 6-2, 6-0; Mert Aysegul (TUR) bt Aksu Semra (TUR) 6-4, 6-1.

Girls’ doubles semi-finals: Maheen Qureshi (PAK) & Yu Yun-Li (TPE) bt Mert Aysegul (TUR) & Toglukdemir Mina (TUR) 6-4, 6-1; Aksu Semra (TUR) & Bilgic Sedef (TUR) bt Ozseker Sevval (TUR) & Piwbangruk Natthapat (THA) 6-3, 3-6, 10-1.