LAHORE - Three Pakistani players Bilal Asim, Muhammad Huzaifa Khan and Huzaima Abdul Rehman advanced to the boys’ singles second round of the ITF Pakistan Senator Dilawar Abbas World Junior Tennis Championships Leg-2 after beating their respective opponents in the first round at PTF-SDA Tennis Complex Islamabad. Pakistan’s No 1 U-18 player Bilal Asim (SICAS), who is a student of renowned coach Rashid Malik (Tamgha-e-Imtiaz), played tremendous tennis against Russia’s Daniil Chizhuk and outpaced him by 6-0, 6-3. M Huzaifa Khan of Pakistan beat Great Britain’s Raheem Shahzada 6-1, 6-2 while Pakistan’s Huzaima Abdul Rehman beat Krittamaet Thammakun (THA) 7-5, 6-1. In other first round matches, Bugra Ozkoc (TUR) beat Timur Dautov (RUS) 6-2, 2-6, 6-0, Edward Kruppe (CAN) beat Asad Zaman (PAK) 6-3, 6-1, Mahatir Muhammad (PAK) beat Sevastian Tasenkov (RUS) 7-6(1), 6-3, Boda Zheng (CHN) beat M Salar (PAK) 6-0, 6-2, Kamonpanyakorn Thadpong (THA) beat Ilya Mosolkin (RUS) 6-3, 6-2, Yuan Lu (CHN) beat M Talha Khan (PAK) 6-4, 6-1, Keagan Jonathan (MAS) beat Ahmad Nael Qureshi (PAK) 6-3, 6-0, Cem Atlamis (TUR) beat Amir Mazari (PAK) 6-0, 6-0, Dogan Can Sipahioglu (TUR) beat Ahtesham Humayun (PAK) 6-3, 7-6(5).
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In the girls’ singles first round, Anastassiya KIM (KAZ) beat Amna Ali Qayum (PAK) 6-1, 6-2. President Islamabad Tennis Association/Chairman RDA Tariq Murtaza graced the opening ceremony as chief guest while other notables present on the occasion were Saeed Ahmad Khan SVP PTF, Col Gul Rehman (R) Secretary PTF, Syed Azeem Shah former DG-CDA and Advisor to President PTF, Syed Ahsan Zaidi Treasurer ITA and a large number of players, parents and coaches. A large number of foreign players (boys and girls) from Turkey, Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Thailand, UK, Malaysia, Romania, Singapore , China, Poland, South Korea, Canada and Pakistan are participating in the leg-2 event.