Bahrain's women’s tennis team to face Maldives

TDT | Manama    

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain take on the Maldives today in their opening match-up of the 2023 Billie Jean King Cup Asia/Oceania Zone Group III, being hosted this week by Bahrain Tennis Federation (BTF) at their courts in Isa Town.

The Bahrainis are one of 14 women’s national teams competing in the prestigious competition, which is being held in the Kingdom for the second time.

Play continues until Saturday. The draw for the preliminary round was held yesterday and Bahrain and the Maldives are in Group D along with Laos and Macau.

Group A features Iran, Saudi Arabia and Iraq; Group B includes Vietnam, Kyrgyzstan and Bhutan; and Group C is composed of Tajikistan, Brunei, Qatar and Nepal.

Following a single round-robin, the top team from each group will advance to the next stage.

There, they will play for two qualifying cards for Group II in next year’s competition, while the remaining sides will compete for their best final classification.

The Billie Jean King Cup is a leading global tournament between national teams in women’s tennis.

The competition in the Kingdom is a zonal event, with teams playing for promotion to the higher-tier group.

PARTICIPATING SQUADS

BAHRAIN:Salma Faragallah, Hajar Zaidan, Mariam Ali, Haneen Al Najjar BHUTAN: Gawa Seldon, Sonam Chuki Dorji, Tandin Dorji,Tenzin Yangkey

BRUNEI: Ja Hui Tan, Ming Rui Chong, Adriana Sim IRAN: Meshkatolzahra Safi, Yasaman Yazdani, Nili Atfi, Hana Soltani, Kimia Sagheb Tehrani

IRAQ: Zalal Khalil, Lara Hasan, Noora Adil, Alaa Abdulrazzaq

KYRGYZSTAN: Vladislava Andreevskaya, Arina Solomatina, Safina Khabibrakhmanova

LAOS: Malaylack Delilah Pathummakuronen, Phonephathep Philavong, Thirada Phommachack, Phonesamai Champamanivong

MACAU: Jamie Lau, Si Nong Iu, Weng Si Leong

MALDIVES: Aaraa Aasaal Azim, Layan Shamin, Nayara Ali, Mishal Mohamed

NEPAL: Abhilasha Bista, Malika Rana, Sunira Thapa, Rayana Shah

QATAR: Mubaraka Al Naimi, Khadija Gassama, Safiya Al Thani, Shaikha Khalifa, Hind Al Mudahka

SAUDI ARABIA: Lara Bukary, Daniya Alzuhair, Sarah Alobaidan, Yara Alhaqbani, Naya El Farouki

TAJIKISTAN: Yosuman Salimova, Amina Khashimova, Malika Rahimova, Fazila Murodova

VIETNAM: Sophia Tran Huynh, Quynh Diem Phan, Ngoc Si Boi