Nepali pair lifts ITF J5 Juniors Tennis C’ships doubles title

LAHORE-Unseeded Nepali pair of Aarav Samrat Hada and Aki Zuben Rawat lifted the boys’ doubles title in the ITF J5 Juniors Tennis Championships after beating top seed pair of Muhammad Shoaib and Ahmed Kamil of Pakistan in a three-set final played at PTF SDA Tennis Complex on Friday. 
Shoaib and Ahmed were off to flying start in the final, winning the first set 6-3 by breaking first game of the Nepali pair, who later made a tremendous comeback and took the second set 6-2 and the third and decisive one by 10-8 to claim their maiden ITF title. 
Meanwhile, the girls’ singles title was claimed by Russia’s Arina Valitova as she routed Abhilasha Bista of Nepal in straight sets 6-1, 6-2. Arina was in fine touch and comfortably won the first set 6-1, by breaking the second, fourth and sixth games of Abhilasha. She was in full command in the second set and kept the same pressure to win the second set 6-2 by breaking the third, fifth and seventh game of the Nepali girl to grab the ITF title. 
Special Secretary IPC Dr Arshad Mehmood graced the occasion as chief guest while PTF President Salim Saifullah Khan was guest of honour. Later, both distributed prizes among the winners of girls’ singles, doubles, and boys’ doubles during the concluding ceremony. 
Arshad also visited the PTF Secretariat, the new synthetic courts and was briefed by the PTF chief about the tennis activities and future plans. The boys’ singles final will be played today (Saturday) at 11am, where M Shoaib of Pakistan and Roy Keegan of Britain will be seen in action.

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