ISLAMABAD: Local lad Sami Zeb Khan went down fighting in a three-set boys’ singles match against Japanese Toa Maeda at the Syed Dilawar Abbas & Syed Tajamul Abbas Memorial ITF World J5 Junior Tennis Championships here at the PTF Complex Tuesday.
Toa rallied back to beat Sami 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 to make it into the second round.
Sami started off brilliantly and took the first set with ease, making Toa run for each point. The going became tough for Zeb once the match entered the second set. He was seen struggling with his strokes and ultimately went on to lose the second and third decisively.
Following all the local players’ exit in the boys’ singles, it all became foreign players’ affair.
Iman Khan form UK was in excellent touch, as she defeated Russian Lidia Laskova 6-4, 7-5 to book a place in the second round of women’s event.
Results: Boys’ singles first round: Amir Asylkozhaev (RUS) bt Mahatir Muhammad Khan (PAK) 6-1, 6-2; Abraar Iqbal (USA) bt Ruslan Serazhetdinov (RUS) 6-2, 6-2; Lorant Gyori (HUN) bt Oscar Baumgartner (SUI) 6-3, 6-0; Toa Maeda (JPN) bt Sami Zeb Khan (PAK) 2-6, 6-4, 6-3.
Boys’ doubles: Carl Holder (FRA) & Yakup Uzunel (DEN) bt Abdullah. (PAK) & Abdul Hanan (PAK) 6-3, 6-1; Ahmet Atabay (TUR) & Ahmad Nael Qureshi (PAK) bt Muhammad Huzaifa Khan (PAK) & Muhammad Talha Khan (PAK) 1-6, 6-3 (16-14); Alessio Basile (BEL) & Birtan Duran (TUR) bt Mahatir Muhammad Khan (PAK) & Hasheesh Kumar (PAK) 6-2, 6-1; Andrey Kozlov (RUS) & Ruslan Serazhetdinov (RUS) bt Athesham Humayun (PAK) & Muhammad Haider Ali Rizwan (PAK) 6-2, 6-2; Oscar Baumgartner (SUI) & Sam Kydd Baumgartner (SUI) bt William Alsterback (SWE) & Elliot Jarosz (SWE) 6-4, 6-4; Raahim Agha (GBR) & Abraar Iqbal (USA) bt Hamid Israr (PAK) & Sami Zeb Khan (PAK) 6-4, 6-2; Toa Maeda (JPN) & Aoi Ooka (JPN) bt Raja Azan Ahmed sajjid (PAK) & Nikita Safonov (RUS) 6-0, 7-5; Dmitry Dolzhenkov (RUS) & Artiom Dorofeev (FRA) bt Amir Asylkozhaev (RUS) & Lorant Gyori (HUN) 6-4, 6-2.
Girls’ singles: Mariia Masiianskaia (RUS) bt Amna Qayum (USA) 6-1, 6-0; Iman Khan (GBR) bt Lidia Laskova (RUS) 6-4, 7-5.
Girls’ doubles: Fatima Ali Raja (PAK) & Natalia Zaman (PAK) bt Yana Ersado (USA) & Zahra Suleman (PAK) 6-4, 7-6(1); Arina Arifullina (RUS) & Melisa Ugur (TUR) bt Artina Gashi (KOS) & Luisa Schruff (GER) 6-4, 6-2; Lidia Laskova (RUS) & Olga Sorochkina (RUS) bt Mahrukh Farooqui (PAK) & Zara Khan (PAK) 6-1, 6-1; Eda Numanoglu (TUR) & Alaia Rubio Perez (GBR) bt Amna Qayum (USA) & Sheeza Sajid (PAK) 6-2, 6-3; Ellie Blackford (GBR) & Iman Khan (GBR) bt Tamara Ermakova (RUS) & Maria Pukhina (RUS) 6-2, 4-6 (12-10).
