Tennis – The Asian Tennis Federation (ATF) U14 Junior Tennis Championships, hosted by the Bahrain Tennis Federation (BTF), kicked off yesterday at the Bahrain Polytechnic University (BPU) courts in Isa Town.
In first round matches in the boys’ singles category, top-seeded Iraq’s Ahmed Talib thumped Bahrain’s Nasser Mohammed 6-1, 6-1, Canada’s Lucas McLoughlin eased past Bahrain’s Abdulaziz Fakih 6-0, 6-0, and Hong Kong’s Ho Yong outclassed Bahrain’s Isa Zuhair 6-0, 6-0, 6-0.
In other matches in the same round, Iran’s Arad Zeinli beat Bahrain’s Abdullah Al Assad 6-0, 6-0, Saudi Arabia’s Suhail Al Taji pipped Bahrain’s Ammar Al Jabal 6-0, 6-0, India’s Hit Kandoria defeated Thailand’s Daniel Ershad 6-0, 6-0, Iran’s Makan Vasegi overcame Bahrain’s Yousef Kamal 6-2, 6-1, and Bosnia’s Danijel Meskic breezed past Khalifa Khan 6-0, 6-0, 6-0.
BTF president Shaikh Abdulaziz bin Mubarak Al Khalifa stressed the importance of Bahrain’s hosting of the AFC U14 Junior Tennis Championship, noting that it comes within the framework of supporting the federation’s strategic and ambitious plans to develop Bahrain’s young players and prepare them for the future.
“Hosting such big tournaments gives our young players a golden opportunity to rub shoulders with their counterparts from different countries, which contributes to raising their technical and physical levels and gaining the necessary experience to compete at higher levels,” he said.
“At the Bahrain Tennis Federation, we believe that investing in the grassroots is the key to building a bright future for Bahraini tennis. By hosting this tournament, we aim to inspire more young men and women to take up tennis and develop their skills, in addition to providing a platform for our promising players to showcase their abilities to a local and international audience.”
Shaikh Abdulaziz also stressed the federation’s commitment to provide all the necessary capabilities and support for young players, through specialised training programmes and high-level technical supervision, with the aim of preparing a new generation of players capable of representing Bahrain in international forums and achieving achievements that elevate the kingdom’s position on the international sports stage.
He expressed optimism about the future of Bahraini tennis, pointing out that the federation is working steadily towards achieving its vision by hosting more international tournaments, developing the infrastructure and enhancing co-operation with regional and international sports federations and organisations.
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