Nael keeps Pak hopes alive

ISLAMABAD: Ahmed Nael Qureshi breezed past Dong Hyeon Euom (Korea) in straight sets to make it to the semi-finals of the boys’ singles in the ITF Pakistan Zainab Ali Naqvi Memorial World Junior Championship Leg-II at the PTF/SDA Complex courts Thursday.

Ahmad Nael won 6-4, 6-2 to become the only Pakistani player who stayed in the race for the title.

China’s Shijie Chen defeated local lad Ahtesham Humayun 6-7(3), 6-3, 6-1 to put curtains on his progress. Women singles became an all foreign players affair as one girl each from Russia, Thailand, Belarus and Korea made it to the semis.

Results:

Boys singles quarter-finals: Jacob Kailiang Shen (HKG) bt Jiwan Park (KOR) 6-3, 2-6, 6-3; Shijie Chen (CHN) bt Ahtesham Humayun (PAK) 6-7(3), 6-3, 6-1; Kaigaoge Kang(CHN) bt Oscar Reilly (NED) 6-4, 6-4; Ahmed Nael Qureshi (PAK) bt Dong Hyeon Euom(KOR) 6-4, 6-2

Girls singles quarter-finals: Ekaterina Pestereva(RUS) bt Gehansa Don (SRI) 6-0, 6-2; Paramee Tadkaew (THA) bt Chaewon Whang (KOR) 6-2, 6-2; Stefaniya Neporent(BLR) bt Jingke Yan (CHN) 6-3, 6-4; Kira Kalinouskaya (BLR) bt Katsiaryna Dubik(BLR) 3-1(retd)

Boys doubles semi-finals: Dong Hyeon Euom(KOR) / Jiwan Park (KOR) bt Bilal Asim / Ahmed Nael Qureshi(PAK) 7-5, 6-1.