A formidable trio of Pakistani tennis talents has advanced to the semifinals of the boys’ singles competition at the ITF Pakistan National Foods World Junior Tennis Championship J-60, marking a significant day for the host nation at the prestigious event.
The quarterfinals, held at the PTF-SDA Tennis Complex, saw stellar performances from local athletes Hamza Roman, Mikaeel Ali Baig, and Abubakar Talha, who all secured their places in the next round with impressive victories.
Hamza Roman triumphed over Nicolas Moravec of the Czech Republic with a commanding 6-2, 6-4 scoreline. Similarly, Mikaeel Ali Baig defeated Kristijonas Milasauskas from Lithuania in straight sets, 6-1, 6-4.
Abubakar Talha overcame a tough challenge from Japan’s Ippie Matsushima in a thrilling three-set match, ultimately prevailing 6-3, 6-7(3), 6-1. However, fellow countryman Muhammad Hassan Usmani was defeated by Turkey’s Emre Atlamis in a hard-fought contest that ended 6-4, 0-6, 6-1.
In the girls’ singles category, the competition remains fierce with top-seeded international players progressing to the semifinals. Haniya Aman Minhas of Saudi Arabia, Varvara Rubtsova from Russia, Turkey’s Deniz Cakil, and Karolina Ligai of Kazakhstan all won their respective quarterfinal matches.
Pakistan’s dominance extended to the boys’ doubles event, where five local players have progressed to the semifinal stage. The pairs of Hamza Roman/Abubakar Talha and Abdul Basit/M. Haziq Aasim, along with Mikaeel Ali Baig who partnered with a Lithuanian player, all claimed victories.
The tournament, proudly sponsored by National Foods of Pakistan, has gathered a large number of junior competitors from across the globe, including nations such as China, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, and Turkey.
According to the Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF), the semifinal clashes are scheduled to begin tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. and will be broadcast live on the federation’s official YouTube channel.