Locals out in 2nd round

ISLAMABAD: All the local players made exit from the men’s singles of the Begum Kulsum ITF Futures tennis tournament following their second round defeats at the hands of foreign players here at the clay courts of the PTF Complex Thursday.

Pakistan’s main hope Aqeel Khan and Samir Iftikhar lost in straight sets. Though Aqeel showed some resilience, he was defeated by the top seed Ivan Nedelko.The Russian was as usual at his best beating Pakistan top player 6-2, 7-6 (1) to make it to the quarter-finals.

Aqeel fought back after losing the first set rather easily. Pakistan No 1 was seen stretching Russian top seed to tie break in the second round. The fast pace serve by the Russian then played the decisive role.

Samir, the only local player who made it to the quarter-finals during the Serena ITF Futures I, lost to former world No 65, Pere Riba in the second round this time. Riba won 6-4, 6-2. Samir had his moments in the first set but was unable to maintain the tempo, ultimately losing in straight sets. The Spaniard was all over Samir in the second where Pakistani made one after another mistake. His two double faults at 5-2 was enough to give Riba the match.

Three Russian, two Spaniard, one each player from Germany, France and Austria made it to the quarter-finals which would be played today (Friday).Results: Men’s singles second round: Ivan Nedelko (Rus) bt Aqeel Khan (Pak) 6-2 7-6(1); Julian Onken (Ger) bt Muhammad Abid (Pak) 6-0 6-1; Pere Riba (Esp) bt Samir Iftikhar (Pak) 6-4, 6-2; Luka Pavlovic (Fra) bt Anurag Nenwani (Ind) 6-4, 6-2; Shalva Dzhanashiya (Rus) bt Kunal Anand (Ind) 6-4, 6-2; Peter Goldsteiner (Aut) bt Dmitry Myagkov (Rus) 7-5, 7-5; Enrique Lopez-Perez (Esp) bt Ergi Kirkin (Tur) 7-5, 6-3; Kristian Kristian Lozan (Rus) bt Kelsey Stevenson 5-7, 6-0, 6-0.

Men’s doubles: Ergi Kirkin (Tur)/Nikolay Vyleghanin (Rus) bt Aman Attique (Pak)/Yousaf Khalil (Pak) 6-1,6-0; Anurag Nenwani (IND)/Jayesh Pungliya (IND) bt Paramveer Singh Bajwa (IND)/Ajay Pruthvi Nemkal (IND) 7-5, 7-5; Kunal Anand (IND)/Jatin Dahiya (IND) bt Gleb Alekseenko (UKR)/Vadim Alekseenko (UKR) 7-5, 1-6, 10-7; Shalva Dzhanashiya (RUS)/Ivan Nedelko (RUS) bt Yasir Khan(PAK)/Waqas Malik (CAN) 6-2, 6-3; Alexander Lebedyn (UKR)/Anton Chekhov (RUS) bt Muzammil Murtaza (PAK)/Luka Pavlovic (FRA) 5-7, 6-2, 10-8.