Nepal duo given wildcard entries

KARACHI: Nepal’s Aarav Hada and Pranav Manandhar were given wildcards for NEMOZ ATF 14 & Under Super Series Tennis Championship Leg-2 that started at DA Creek Club on Monday.

“They were given wildcards in the singles category since they requested for it as they could not enter their names in this championship,” Tournament Director Khalid Rehmani told ‘The News’.

He said that both the Nepalese performed well in the Leg-1 as Aarav won the singles title and they were finalist in the doubles category. “Their father phoned me from Nepal the other day and requested to give them wildcards for the Leg-2. I accepted his request since we had six wild cards for this format,” said Khalid.

He said that top seed of the Leg-1 Hasheesh Kumar had also been given a wild card because he did not enter his name in the Leg-2 but his performance in the Leg-1 got him a place in the Leg-2.

Asked if giving wild cards to the Nepalese was not injustice to local players, he said not many local players entered their names in the championship and he still had two wild cards left. The two from Nepal are the only foreign players in this Asian-level championship as six boys and nine girls from other countries withdrew from this championship.

Meanwhile, in the first round of singles, Zain Ehtisham beat Ayan Khan 6-2, 6-2; Ashar Mir defeated Ammar Ismail Mapara 7-5, 6-2; and Yahya Luni won against Taimoor Khan 6-2, 6-1. Top seed Hasheesh, unseeded Yahya Ehtisham, and second seed Aarav got byes. Ahmad Nael will face Taha Aman and Bilal Asim is up against fourth seed Pranav on Tuesday.