Pak boys fail to clear semis hurdle

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan players’ progress in the boys’ singles was halted at the semi-final stage when both Huzaifa Abdul Rehman and Saqib Hayat lost in Thursday’s action in the Syed Tajammul Abbas ITF Pakistan World Junior Ranking Tennis Championships.

The boys’ singles final will be played between qualifier Cheng Wei-Chen of Chinese Taipei and Malaysia’s Suresh Darrshan, the second seed.Cheng defeated Huzaifa 7-5, 6-1 while Suresh beat Saqib Hayat 6-2, 6-3 in the two semi-finals played here at the S Dilawar Abbas PTF Tennis Complex.

It was a close fight between Cheng and Huzaifa in the first set as both players refused to give up. The scores went to 5-5 with both players displaying excellent tennis.It was at that time that Cheng took control. He earned a break in the 11th game and then held his serve to take the first set.

The Chinese Taipei player completely dominated the second set and allowed Huzaifa, who defeated top seed Ahmed Zyaan of Great Britain to reach the semi-finals, to win just one game.Suresh was on top of his game and was never really challenged by Saqib in his straight sets victory.

The boys’ singles final will be played on Saturday (tomorrow).There was good news for Pakistan in the girls’ singles when Maheen Aftab reached the final with a commanding win over her Turkish opponent.

Maheen defeated Bilgic Sedef 6-3, 6-4 without facing much trouble. She will face top seed Yu Yun-Li of Chinese Taipei in the final.Yu beat Aysegul Mert — also from Turkey — 7-5, 6-2 in a well-contested two-set match.

The girls’ singles finalists completed a successful day when they got together to beat the Turkish duo of Aksu Semra and Bilgic Sedef 6-2, 6-1 to lift the doubles crown.Results: Boys’ singles semi-finals: Cheng Wei-Chen (TPE) bt Huzaifa Abdul Rehman (PAK) 7-5, 6-1; Suresh Darrshan (MAS) bt Saqib Hayat (PAK) 6-2, 6-3.

Boys’ doubles semi-finals: Mathew Yee (HKG) & Muhammad Nouman Aftab (PAK) bt Chang Cameron Austin (USA) & Cheng Hsuni Lui (TPE) 6-2, 6-1; Rattanan Siritaworchar (THA) & Suresh Darrshan (MAS) bt Cheng Wei Chen (TPE) & Chou Wen Yi (TPE) 7-6(4), 7-5.

Girls’ singles semi-finals: Yu Yun-Li (TPE) bt Mert Aysegul (TUR) 7-5, 6-2; Maheen Qureshi (PAK) bt Bilgic Sedef (TUR) 6-3, 6-4.Girls’ doubles final: Maheen Qureshi (PAK) & Yu Yun-Li (TPE) bt Aksu Semra (TUR) & Bilgic Sedef (TUR) 6-2, 6-1.