TENNIS – Ilia Simakin from Russia marched through to the men’s singles last 16 yesterday in the Manama Challenger, currently being played at the Public Security Officers Club in Gudaibiya.
The category 50 competition, part of this year’s ATP Challenger Tour calendar, features top professionals from around the world who are vying for a share of the $60,000 in total prize money.
Second-seeded Simakin earned his berth after defeating Aleksandre Bakshi from Georgia 6-1, 6-2 in their round-of-32 clash.
Simakin will next take on unseeded Finn Eero Vasa, who ousted countryman and qualifier Patrik Niklas-Salminen 6-2, 7-6 (3) in another opening round clash yesterday.
Fares Zakaria posted the day’s upset after taking down Russian third seed Petr Bar Biryukov.
Zakaria was leading the contest 4-6, 6-2, 3-1 when Bar Biryukov retired.
Zakaria will take on French qualifier Matisse Bobichon, who defeated Ukrainian alternate Yurii Dzhavakian 6-1, 6-4 in another match yesterday.
Others to win were Spaniard Ivan Mattero Curbelo, Swiss Alexander Ritschard, German qualifier Mazimilian Homberg, sixth-seeded Czech Petr Brunclik, his countryman and lucky loser Dominik Kellovsky, and Russian qualifier Semen Pankin.
Two more men’s singles matches in the round of 32 will be played today, one of them pitting top seed Kimmer Coppejans from Belgium against Briton Toby Samuel.
The other is between Hazem Naw from Syria and Ioannis Xilas from Greece. Last 16 matches will also be played today.
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