Pakistan’s top-seeded tennis prodigy, Mikaeel Ali Baig, mounted a sensational comeback from a set down to clinch a spot in the final of the ITF Pakistan International J-30 Junior Tennis Championships 2025, overcoming Japan’s Ippei Matsushima in a gripping semifinal clash on Thursday.
Held at the PTF-SDA Tennis Complex, the high-stakes encounter saw Mikaeel demonstrate remarkable resilience. After losing the first set, the Pakistani hopeful rallied to win the hard-fought contest with a final score of 2-6, 6-4, 6-4, keeping spectators engrossed throughout the grueling match.
In the other boys’ singles semifinal, Kristijonas Milasaukas of Lithuania secured his place in the championship decider by defeating Timur Gordeev of Russia. Milasaukas triumphed with scores of 6-3, 7-6(2), setting up an exciting final showdown against Mikaeel.
The doubles category also witnessed intense competition. Mikaeel Ali Baig, partnering with Russia’s Timur Gordeev, advanced to the boys’ doubles final. They will face the formidable duo of Japan’s Ippei Matsushima and Lithuania’s Kristijonas Milasaukas, who dispatched their Pakistani opponents Shehryar Anees and Ahtesham Humayun in straight sets.
In the girls’ events, Chinese players showed their dominance as Mingxi Qu and Zihan Feng both advanced to the semifinals in the singles category. They later paired up to reach the girls’ doubles final. The Turkish pair of Serife Pelin Sari and Deniz Cakil also secured their spot in the doubles championship match.
The international tournament, organized by the Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF), has attracted a large contingent of junior athletes from countries including China, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Lithuania, Russia, Thailand, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. The event is supported by sponsors PARCO, OGDCL, National Foods, Ali Embroidery, and the Capital Development Authority (CDA).
Tennis enthusiasts can watch the semifinal and final matches live on the official PTF YouTube channel.