TENNIS – Jacob Fearnley from Britain powered into the last 16 of the singles main draw yesterday in the Bahrain Open Tennis Challenger 2026, currently being played at the Police Officers Club in Gudaibiya.
Third seed Fearnley, who is currently ranked 77th in the world, marched through following a hard-earned 6-3, 7-6 (4) victory over Lukas Neumayer from Austria.
Fearnley now awaits his next opponent in this prestigious tournament, which is part of this year’s calendar on the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Challenger Tour.
It is a Challenger 125 category event offering $225,000 in total prize money – up from last year’s purse of $200,000.
The competition is organised in co-operation between the Police Sports Association and the Police Officers Club.
Also advancing past the main draw’s opening round yesterday was sixth seed Thiago Agustin Tirante from Argentina, who is 103rd on the ATP singles rankings.
He defeated Geoffrey Blancaneaux from France 6-3, 6-3 in their clash.
Coleman Wong from Hong Kong beat Ryan Peniston from Britain 6-3, 6-2 to book his place in the round of 16, as did Kyrian Jacquet from France, who overcame Christopher O’Connell from Australia 6-3, 6-1 in their contest.
Lorenzo Giustino from Italy set up a meeting with Otto Virtanen from Finland in the second stage with both players emerging triumphant yesterday.
Giustino upset Austrian fourth seed Filip Misolic, ranked 84th in the world, in a tough 7-6 (5), 7-6 (4) affair, while Virtanen battled back from a set down to beat Chinese wild card Zhang Zhizhen in a dramatic three-setter 4-6, 7-6 (12), 7-6 (5).
Meanwhile, also yesterday, six players made it out of the singles qualifying draw and secured their slots in the tournament proper.
They included Manas Dhamne from India, Vadym Ursu from Ukraine, Dimitar Kuzmanov from Bulgaria, Edas Butvilas from Lithuania, Yanki Erel from Türkiye, and Lukas Pokorny from Slovakia.
Dhamne beat Norwegian Viktor Durasovic 7-6 (6), 4-6, 6-3; Ursu outclassed Kazakhstan’s Beibit Zhukayev 6-3, 6-0; Kuzmanov defeated Uzbek Sergey Fomin 1-6, 6-3, 6-1; Butvilas triumphed 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (5) against Mert Alkaya from Türkiye; Erel was a 7-5, 6-2 winner over Czech player Hynek Barton; and Pokorny defeated Austrian Neil Oberleitner 6-3, 6-3.
Action in the tournament’s singles and doubles main draws continue today. Play will be held from 11am. All are welcomed to attend at the Police Officers Club in Gudaibiya.
This year’s Bahrain Open Tennis Challenger is the event’s fifth edition.
Last year’s occasion was named the 2025 ATP Challenger Tournament of the Year for the Challenger 125 category, which is the second-highest on the ATP Challenger Tour.
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