Bahrain lost to Pacific Oceania

Manama : Bahrain women’s tennis team lost 3-0 to 74th ranked Pacific Oceania yesterday in its third ever match in the ITF Federation Cup in Pool A Asia/Oceania Zone Group 2 on the hard outdoor courts at the True Arena Hua Hin venue in Thailand.

In the opening singles rubber, Pacific Oceania’s Mayka Zima brushed aside Malak Jassim Fardan 6-0, 6-0 and in the second rubber Ayana Rengiil won by the same result against Bahrain’s Nazli Nader Redha.

Pacific Oceania rapped up the match winning the doubles as Rengiil and Zima defeated Redha and Maram Mohammed Sharif 6-0, 6-0.

Despite another heavy loss, Bahrain’s players had the consolation of gaining more experience with more time on court and winning more points, compared with the opening two matches against Hong Kong and Iran.

Bahrain accompanied by captain/coach and former Davis Cup player Essam Abdul A’al, conclude its Pool A matches today when they take on top seeds Philippines who are ranked 48 in the world.

In the other pool match, Philippines stayed top of the pool with a third win from three matches after a 2-1 win over Hong Kong.

The opening singles rubber began with Khim Iglupas winning 6-4, 7-5 over Ho Ching Wu and the second singles saw the battle of the heavyweights when Katherina Lenhert ranked 439 gave Philippines the win after comfortably defeating Hong Kong’s 303 ranked Ling Zhang 6-1, 6-4. 

In doubles action, Hong Kong duo Man Ying Maggie Ng and Chun-Wing Sher beat Iglupas and Anna Clarice Patrimonio 6-4, 7-5 for a consolation win.

Results: 

Pool B: Malaysia bt Singapore 2-1, Indonesia bt Pakistan 3-0, Sri Lanka bt Kyrgyzstan 3-0.

Standings (matches/wins): Pool A: Philippines (3/3), Pacific Oceania (4/2), Hong Kong (3/2), Iran (3/1), Bahrain (3/0). 

Pool B: Singapore (4/4), Indonesia (4/3), Malaysia (4/3), Pakistan (4/1), Sri Lanka (4/1), Kyrgyzstan (4/0).