ISLAMABAD - Youngster Mudassar Murataza stunned seasoned campaigner Usman Rafiq in three hard-fought sets in the first round match of the 2nd Benazir Bhutto (Shaheed) International Ranking Tennis Championship 2016 here at the Senator Dilawar Abbas PTF Tennis Complex on Tuesday.

A total of 32 matches were decided on the third day of the mega event, which attracted four international players from Saudi Arabia, Iran and Kuwait, while more than 250 local players are taking part in the country’s biggest-ever prize money event.

Sixth seed Mudassar and Usman were involved in the best encounter of the day in the men’s singles, which lasted for more than two hours. Usman started the first set in great style and won it 6-3. It was completely different story in the second set, as Mudaasar bounced back in style and broke the third and fifth game of Usman to win the set 6-2.

The third and final set witnessed tough battle between the two players. It was 3-3, as both the players held onto their respective serves, Mudassar was feeling pain in his back and also twisted his ankle. Mudassar bravely decided to continue the match despite not been able to move freely, he immediately broke fifth game of Usman, and after holding onto his fourth serve, he won the 10th game to take the set 6-3 and moved into the second round.

Another good match of the day was played between upcoming junior Asadullah and Shahid Afridi. Asad was outclassed in the first set losing 1-6, but he bounced back in style to win the next two sets 6-3, 6-2. Apsara Sheeraz from Karachi upset 8th seed Eshal Khan in the ladies singles first round match, as she won the match 6-3 and 6-4.

In the men’s singles first round, Israr Gul beat Safdar Mehmood 6-3, 6-2; Faizan Khurram got walk over against Raja Shahid; Heera Ashiq beat Ijaz Ahmed Khan 6-2, 6-0; Aman Attique beat Ilham Khan 6-2, 7-5; Muzammil Murtaza got walk over against Mubarak Shah and Abdal Haider beat M Usman Ijaz 6-2, 6-3.

In the ladies singles first round matches, Shiza Sajid beat Farheen Fazli 6-2, 6-1; Arooba Shahab beat Arooj Shahid 6-2, 6-0; Azeena Aleem got walk over against Rahdha; Nida Akram beat Taliya Bilal 6-0, 6-1; Rosabel Ujala got walk over against Sarah Banoo and Bakhtawar Haider got walk over against Ramail Mumtaz.

In the junior U-18 first round matches, Komail Zaidi beat Hasan Ali 6-1, 3-6, 6-1; Nalain Abbas got w/o Hasan Mehmood; Sahibzada M Ali beat Zalan Khan 6-1, 6-1; Ahmed Kamil beat Abdul Wahab Anwar 6-2, 6-3; Ahmed Asjad beat Noor-e-Mustafa 6-2, 6-2; Hamza Bin Rehan beat Moosa Ch 7-5, 7-5; Waleed Anwar beat Abdullah Hassan 6-0, 6-1.

In boy’s U-14 first round matches, Subhan Bin Salik beat Ahmed Nael 4-0, 4-0; M Huzafia beat Umair Masood 4-0, 4-0; M Talah Khan beat Raza Ahmed Siddiqi 4-0, 4-1; Azan Raja beat Yahya Musa Luni 4-0, 5-3; Zalan Khan beat Shayan Shamraiz 5-4(3), 5-3; Ahmed Kamil beat Umer Masood 4-0, 4-0. In the boys’ U-10 first round matches, Jamal Khan beat M Moaiz Gul 4-0, 4-0; Zainab Ali Raja beat Zara Lawangin 4-2, 4-2; Sameer Masood beat Awais Ali 4-1, 4-2; Fatima Ali Raja beat Ozair Maqsood 4-0, 4-0.