Britain’s Canter enters ITF Futures Tennis semis

ISLAMABAD: Alexis Canter (GBR) had to gather all his reserves to beat 4th seed Sora Fukuda (JPN) on his way to the semi-finals of the Serena ITF Futures Tennis single’s event which now become an all foreign players affairs at the PTF Complex courts Wednesday. Great Britain player defeated Fukuda in a three set thriller 6-3, 6-7 (4), 7-5.

After winning the first set easily, Canter faced tough resistance from Fukuda in a neck and neck second set battle that went down to the wire.

Fukuda won the set on a tie break taking the game to third and decisive set. Here again Japanese player gave his best only to be beaten in an extended set. Pakistan’s lone survivor Mohammad Abid could not handle tough attacking game from Ti Chen. The Chinese Taipei player who earlier had accounted for Pakistan No 1 Aqeel Khan found going rather easy against Abid during his 6-1, 6-3 win. Rio Noguchi (JPN) and Kim Cheon Eui (KOR) also made it to the semi-finals of men’s singles.

Results: men’s singles quarter-finals: Rio Noguchi (JPN) [2] bt Kai Wehnelt (GER) [5] 7-6, 6-4 Kim Cheon Eui (KOR) [1] bt Saidal’o Saidkarimov (UZB): 6-4, 6-1 Ti Chen (TPE) [3] bt M Abid (Pak): 6-1, 6-3 Alexis Canter (GBR) bt Sora Fukuda (JPN) [4]: 6-3, 6-7, 7-5

Men’s doubles main round (quarterfinals): Darko Jandric (SRB)/Shonigmatjon Shoeyziyev (UZB) [4] bt M Abid (Pak)/Wagas Malik (CAN): 6-3, 4-6, 10-3; Alexander Pavliouchenkov (RUS) [2]/Vladimir Polyakov (RUS)bt Dmitry Myagkov (RUS)/ Saida’lo Saidkarimov (UZB): 6-1, 7-5 Anton Chekhov (RUS)/Kai Wehnelt (GER) [1] bt Sora Fukuda (JPN)/Ray Ho (TPE): 7-6,2-6, 10-6 Eui Kim (KOR) [3]/Rio Noguchi (JPN) bt Heera Ashiq/ Mudassar Murtaza (Pak) 6-4, 6-2.

Meanwhile in Serena National Ranking Tennis Championships-for ladies, Sara Mansoor and Sarah Mehboob moved into the semis.

Ladies singles (quarterfinals): Sara Mansoor bt Shimza Naz 6-0, 6-2;Hania Navaid bt Mahvish Chishtie 6-4, 6-4; Esha Jawad bt Sheeza Sajid; 6-0, 6-1; Sarah Mahboob bt Mehek Khokhar 6-1, 6-1

Boys singles u-18 (2nd round): M.Shoaib bt Nalain Abbas 6-3, 6-0; Musa Ch bt M. Huzaifa Khan 6-4, 6-4; Ahmed Kamil bt Abdul Hanan 6-3, 7-5; M. Abdullah bt Zain Choudhary 6-1, 6-2; Abdullah Adnan bt M. Talha Khan 6-0, 6-0; M. Nauman Aftab bt Kamran Khan 6-3, 6-0; Ahmed Asjad bt Sami Zeb 7-6 (3), 6-1; Saqib Umer bt Subhan Bin Salik 6-0, 6-4.

Boys singles u-14 (2nd round): Sami Zeb bt Kamran Khan 6-3, 6-2 ; Bilal Asim bt Azan Sajid 6-0, 6-0; Abdul Hanan bt M. Haziq 6-0, 6-0; Huzaima Abdul Rehman bt Azan Shahid 6-0, 6-1; M. Huzaifa bt M. Amir 6-3, 6-0; Kashan Umer bt Ahmed Nael 6-3, 7-5; Hamza Roman bt M. Talha Khan 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-2; Uzair Khan bt M. Hamza Asim 6-2, 6-3.