ITF Junior Tennis: Shoaib stuns top seed

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Sho­aib Khan caused ripples in the second leg of the ITF Pakistan Junior World Ranking Tennis Championship beating top seed Daniel Webb of Britain to make it to the semi-finals here at the PTF Tennis Complex on Wednesday.

Shoaib came from behind to beat Webb 5-7, 7-6(4), 6-1.

Both displayed quality tennis and was appreciated by the large crowd. The score went up to 5-5 in the first set. Webb won the first set at 7-5 by breaking 12th game of first set after three duce.

In the second set, Shoaib built up comfortable 3-1 lead by breaking 3rd game of Webb in which he made two double faults. Webb started attacking game and built up 5-3 lead by breaking 6th and 8th game of Shoaib. Pakistani leveled the score 5-5 all by breaking 9th game of Webb.

Second set was decided on a tie break which was won by Shoaib at 7-4 after going down 2-4 at one stage.

Shoaib was seen in full command in the final set and did not allow his opponent to settle down with powerful forehand and backhand drives winning it 6-1.

Second seed Huz­aifa Abdul Rehman won his quarter-final against 8th seed local lad Ahmed Kamil 6-4, 6-2.

Third seed Kim Min-Joon of Korea proved too good for Pakistan’s Saqib Hayat 6-3, 6-2. He will face Huzaifa in the semi-final.

In the last quarter-final, Korea’s Kang Gunuk was in an excellent form eliminating Muhammad Nauman Aftab (Pakistan) without any resistance 6-1, 6-1. He will face Shoaib Khan (Pak) in the last four stage.

Results: Boys’ quarter-finals: Shoaib Khan (Pak) bt Daniel Webb (Gbr) 5-7, 7-6(4), 6-1; Kang Gunuk (Kor) bt M Nouman Aftab (Pak) 6-1, 6-1; Min-Joon KIM (Kor) bt Saqib Hayat (Pak) 6-3, 6-2; Huzaifa Abdul Rehman (Pak) bt Kamil Ahmed (Pak) 6-4, 6-2.

Girls’ singles quarter-finals: Aysegul Mert (Tur) bt Cheraghi Dorsa (Iri) 6-2, 6-3; Choi Ji-Woo (Kor) bt Thouard Clemence (Fra) 6-1, 6-2; Valitova Arina (Rus) bt Khanloo Mahta (Iri) 6-0, 6-1; Jang Soo Ha (Kor) bt Elmas Leyla Nilufer (Tur) 6-2, 6-2.

Boys’ doubles quarter-final: Ksese Luca Emanuel (Ger) & Daniel Webb (Gbr) bt Sami Zeb Khan (Pak) & Tootoonchi Moghadam (Iri) 7-5, 7-6(3).

Girls’ doubles quarter-final: Cheraghi Dorsa (Iri) & Shen Hannah Kaile (HK) bt Abas Aliya (Mda) & Thouard Clemence (Fra) 6-4, 4-6, 10-7.

Girls’ doubles semi-final: Khanloo Mahta (Iri) & Safi Meshkatolzahra (Iri) bt Aysegul Mert (Tur) & Elmas Leyla Nilufer (Tur) 6-3, 2-6, 10-3; Choi Ji-Woo (Kor) & Jang Soo Ha (Kor) bt Cheraghi Dorsa (Iri) & Shen Hannah Kaile (HK) 6-4, 6-1.