Shoaib stays on course for another crown

ISLAMABAD: Local top seed Muhammad Shoaib stayed well on course for yet another title as he breezed past Tuna Nergizoglu in a one-sided quarter-final in Syed Dilawar Abbas Memorial ITF Pakistan Junior International Tennis here at the PTF Complex Wednesday.

Shoaib beat Tuna Nergizoglu 6-2, 6-1. He was in excellent form and won the first set 6-2 by breaking 1st and 3rd game of Tuna. He kept the same pressure in the second set and did not allow his opponent to settle down courtesy to some powerful winners down the line and cross court. He won the second 6-1 by breaking 1st, 3rd and 5th game.

Unseeded Kerem Ozlale continued his upsurge as he won his match against Birtan Duran 6-0, 6-2 without any resistance. The third quarter-final saw 2nd seed Gokalp Ayar beating Iustin Belea of Romania 6-4, 6-3 in a well-contested match. Ayar will face Kerem Ozlale in the semi-final today (Thursday).

In the last quarterfinal, Aryan Giri proved too good for Stylianos Poutis and won his match 6-2, 6-4 in straight sets to move into the semi-final. He will face top seed Shoaib. In girls’ singles semi-finals, unseeded Lyela Nilufer Elmas upset second seed Dorsa Cheraghi in the best match of the day.

Results: Boys’ singles quarter-finals: Muhammad Shoaib (PAK) bt Tuna Nergizoglu (TUR) 6-2, 6-1; Gokalp Ayar (TUR) bt Iustin Belea (ROU) 6-4, 6-3; Aryan Giri (NEP) bt Stylianos Poutis (GRE) 6-2, 6-4; Kerem Ozlale (TUR) bt Birtan Duran (TUR) 6-0, 6-2.

Girls’ singles semi-finals: Ren Ke (CHN) bt Zhansaya Bakytzhan (KAZ) 7-5, 6-0; Leyla Nilufer Elmas (TUR) bt Dorsa Cheraghi (IRI) 6-4, 7-6(1).

Boys’ doubles semi-finals: Gokalp Ayar (TUR) & Mustafa Sancaklioglu (TUR) bt Ahmed Kamil (PAK) & Muhammad Shoaib (PAK) 1-6, 6-1, 10-7; Iustin Belea (ROU) & Qwyn Quittner (AUS) bt Raahim Agha (GBR) & Stylianos Poutis (GRE) 1-6, 6-4, 10-6.

Girls’ doubles semi-finals: Abhilasha Bista (NEP) & Neyara Weerawansa (SRI) bt Dorsa Cheraghi (IRI) & Billur Gonlusen (TUR) 5-7, 7-6(5) 12-10; Leyla Nilufer Elmas (TUR) & Mina Toglukdemir (TUR) bt Sei-Ding Chai (MAS) & Ren Ke (CHN) 6-3, 6-7(5), 10-7.