Iman sets up junior tennis final against Mariia

ISLAMABAD: United Kingdom’s Iman Khan checked into the final of the PTF President ITF World J5 Junior Tennis Championships with a hard fought three-set win over Russia’s Maria Pukhina here at the PTF Complex courts Friday.

Iman lost the second set before fighting back to win the third with an array of baseline shots. She was too aggressive when it came to playing at the nets. Maria did all he could to stay in the match, making good use of her reach but Iman ultimately won it 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.

Iman will now meet another Russian Mariia Masiianskaia in the final. The Russian prevailed over Austrian Ines Faltinger 6-7(2), 6-2, 6-2 in the second semi-finals.

The boys’ singles final will be played between Switzerland’s Sam Kydd Baumgartner (SUI) who defeated Andrey Kozlov (RUS) 6-2, 6-2 and Turkish Birtan Duran who got the better of Russian Dmitry Dolzhenkov also in straight sets 7-5, 6-3.

Syed Zeeshan Ali Naqvi, Deputy Mayor Islamabad, visited PTF Complex along with Mansoor Ahmed DDG Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) to witness some of the matches. He was extremely happy with the arrangements and organisation of the events. He also paid compliments to PTF President Salim Saifullah Khan and his team in ensuring that so many foreign players have decided to come to Islamabad.

Results: Boys’ doubles final: Sam Kydd Baumgartner (SUI) & Birtan Duran (TUR) bt Dmitry Dolzhenkov (RUS) & Artiom Dorofeev (FRA) 6-4, 6-2.

Girls’ doubles final: Iman Khan (GBR) & Alaia Rubio Perez (GBR) bt Mariia Masiianskaia (RUS) & Margarita Okhendovskaya (UKR) 4-6, 6-4 (11-9).

Boys’ singles semi-finals: Sam Kydd Baumgartner (SUI) bt Andrey Kozlov (RUS) 6-2, 6-2; Birtan Duran (TUR) bt Dmitry Dolzhenkov (RUS) 7-5, 6-3.

Girls’ singles semi-finals: Iman Khan (GBR) bt Maria Pukhina (RUS) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3; Mariia Masiianskaia (RUS) bt Ines Faltinger (AUT) 6-7(2), 6-2, 6-2.