Al Haqbani makes it to main draw in Fujairah

Dubai: The top three seeds were joined by Saudi Arabia’s Saud Al Haqbani into the main draw of the boy’s singles at the Second UAE Fujairah Junior Cup being held at the Fujairah Tennis and Country Club (FTCC).

In Sunday’s final day of qualifiers, top seed Anton Hidalgo Muniz of Spain was joined by second seed Pavel Ognev of Russia, third seed Andrija Pavlovic of Switzerland and the fast-improving youngster from Saudi Arabia.

Muniz got the better of Yusuke Tamaki of Japan 7-5, 6-3, Ognev defeated Iraklis Gerousis of Greece 6-1, 6-3 and Pavlovic breezed past Germany’s Henri Ohl 6-1, 6-2. But the pick of the youngsters was Al Haqbani as he secured a convincing 6-0, 6-4 win over Michel Katrib of Canada to book his place in the main draw of the boy’s singles that was scheduled to get under way at the FTCC courts from Monday morning.

The girls singles too witnessed the top seeds making their way through into the main round of the competition. Top seed Sofia Plotnikova of Russia had to fight past eighth seed Sarah Introcaso 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 to advance, while third seed Shakhzoda Asimova defeated sixth seed Srinidhi Sridhar of India 6-1, 6-1 to go into the main competition.

In yet another fight between seeds, No. 5 Dasha Lopatetskaya from the Ukraine got the better of fourth seed Mille Elsborg of Denmark to make the grade, while unseeded Amelia Bissett of Great Britain stunned seventh seed Teodora Sabljarevic 6-1, 6-0 to gain an entry into the main draw.

Organised by Tennis Emirates in coordination with the FTCC, this is the second edition of this competition that will be followed by next week’s 15th Dubai ITF Junior Championships that are scheduled to get under way at the Dubai Aviation Club from November 7.

RESULTS

Boy’s: Anton Hidalgo Muniz def. Yusuke Tamaki 7-5, 6-3; Pavel Ognev def. Iraklis Gerousis 6-1, 6-3; Andrija Pavlovic def. Henri Ohl 6-1, 6-2; Saud Al Haqbani def. Michel Katrib 6-0, 6-4.

Girls: Sofia Plotnikova def. Sarah Introcaso 3-6, 6-2, 6-3; Amelia Bissett def. Teodora Sabljarevic 6-1, 6-0; Shakhzoda Asimova def. Srinidhi Sridhar 6-1, 6-1; Dasha Lopatetskaya def. Mille Elsborg 6-1, 6-1.