ISLAMABAD - Pathetic umpiring cost Mahin Aftab a place in the quarterfinals of the 2nd Jordan International ITF Junior Championship 2017, as she went down fighting against top seed Dalia Ahmed of Egypt, who is also world number 300.
Mahin started the first set on a high and kept Dalia under enormous pressure. The match was going on smoothly, despite some highly close calls, Mahin managed to hold on to her serves in the first 9 games, when she was serving at 4-5, two highly close calls went against her, that was the turning point of the set, which she lost 4-6 in 39 minutes.
Same was the story in the second set, as both the players were engaged in highly fearsome tennis on offer, long rallies were played from the baseline and things were going well for the Pakistani girls, but once again she was deprived of a place in the quarters, as highly dubious calls against Mahin cost her the second set 4-6 as well.
Talking to The Nation after the match, Mahin said: “I am highly frustrated the way linesman gave dubious calls against me. I could not believe that what is going on. I was playing the best tennis of my life and I can challenge if the recordings of the match are checked, it will be clear that the calls were dubious. It is highly sad to see, favouritism has been marring the sports as well.
“Although I lost the crucial match, yet I managed to win a lot of hearts and minds, as local crowd was right behind my back and realised that I was cheated rather than beaten. Anyhow, I will now play the main round of the Arab Bank Younex Beruit ITF World Juniors Championship,” she added.
MOHSIN ALI