Duran fights back to win boys’ tennis title

ISLAMABAD: Turkish player Birtan Duran survived some anxious time to beat highly talented Swiss player Sam Kydd Baumgartner 7-5, 6-4 in an exciting boys’ event final of the ITF World J5 Junior Tennis Championships at the PTF Complex on Saturday.

Duran was fighting for survival in the first set where Baumgartner was leading 5-3 and was serving for the set when Turkish staged a fight back, unleashing array of quality shots to take the initiative back from his opponent.

Baumgartner though a bit rash shown glimpses of quality stuff and had he been consistent with his approach he could have ended up winning the title. It was Duran who cashed in on his misses winning the first set and staying well on course to win the second with some exciting display of baseline game.

The Turkish was superb with his understanding of the game which ultimately earned him the title.

On the other hand, Swiss player was seen double faulting on numerous occasions and messing up with opportunities coming his way to win the first and even had breakpoints in the second which he let go.

The boys’ final could have gone either way but at the end Duran turned out to more precise in his approach that saw him winning points at crucial time.

Girls’ singles final became a one-sided affair as Britain’s Iman Ali lost to a strong Russian girl Mariia Masiianskaia. Maria showed no sympathy in her 6-3, 6-1 win to take the title.

She dominated the match throughout winning it comfortably at the end.

Additional Secretary Ministry of Interior and SVP Pakistan Tennis Federation Iftikhar Shallwani and PTF President Salim Saifullah Khan was the chief guests on the occasion and distributed shields among the winners.

Results: Boys’ singles final: Birtan Duran (TUR) bt Sam Kydd Baumgartner (SUI) 7-5, 6-4.

Girls’ singles final: Mariia Masiianskaia (RUS) bt Iman Khan (GBR) 6-3, 6-1.