Yara, Nawaf crowned singles champions

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Yara Alhogbani from Saudi Arabia and Rashed Nawaf from Qatar were both crowned champions of their respective singles categories yesterday in the first of three successive Bahrain events on the International Tennis Federation (ITF) World Tennis Tour Juniors Calendar 2022.

Second-seeded Yara claimed the girls’ singles title after upsetting top seed Tamara Ermakova in their final, while third-seeded Nawaf followed suit with the boys’ singles crown after beating Serbian fourth seed Marko Milosavljevic in their championship clash.

Both matches were played at the Bahrain Tennis Federation (BTF) courts in Isa Town, with BTF president Shaikh Abdulaziz bin Mubarak Al Khalifa amongst those present.

Following each title-decider, Shaikh Abdulaziz presented the winners and the runners-up their respective trophies. Also on hand were BTF secretary general Fuad Al Rowaie and other officials.

In the girls’ final, it was the second time Yara and Tamara were meeting in their careers and Yara claimed the win both times.

The talented 17-year-old victor, who boasts an ITF combined ranking of 946, eventually secured her girls’ singles title with a 6-4, 6-2 score line.

With the result, Yara came away with a title double from the competition, after also previously winning the girls’ doubles crown with playing partner Annabel Hristova of Great Britain.

On the distaff yesterday, Nawaf and Milosavljevic were meeting for the first time, but the victor was stretched to the maximum before he could lift his champion’s trophy.

Nawaf won the first set but Milosavljevic extended the match after taking the second convincingly.

There, the pair battled until Nawaf finally was able to secure the decision with a 6-1, 1-6, 7-5 score. The 17-year-old headed into the contest with a higher ITF Combined Ranking of 882nd in the world.

Like Yara, Nawaf was able to clinch a title-double with his win.

He had also won the boys’ doubles crown sharing the court with his brother Mashari.

Yesterday’s play marked the end of the first of three successive Bahrain events on the International Tennis Federation (ITF) World Tennis Tour Juniors Calendar 2022.

ITF tennis action continues at BTF

The second Bahrain meeting on the International Tennis Federation (ITF) World Tennis Tour Juniors Calendar 2022 gets underway today at the Bahrain Tennis Federation (BTF) courts in Isa Town.

Just like the previous ITF event which concluded yesterday, the new competition is a J5 level event on the global circuit.

Heading into the start of action, Dmitry Bessonov is the top seed in the boys’ singles main draw, while Tamara Ermakova returns as the top seed amongst the girls’ singles competitors.

The first round of singles matches begin today at 9am.

Following this second ITF tournament, a J4 ITF event will be hosted by Bahrain from 7 to 13 November