LAHORE - Rizwan brothers, Hussnain Ali, Haider Ali and Hamza Ali, continued to shine for Pakistan in the Asian Tennis Federation (ATF) Bahrain Tennis Championship 2021 being played in Bahrain.
Pakistani duo of Hussnain and Haider played extremely well against the India-Sri Lanka pair of Rushkesh Sonawane and Raed Rizvie and outpaced them with a score of 6-0, 6-4. Rizwan stamped their authority from the beginning and didn’t allow their opponents to score a single point, winning the first set 6-0. Though they faced tough resistance in the second set, yet they won it 6-4 to make way to the doubles final.
Other finalists of doubles were Pak-Egypt pair of Hamza Ali Rizwan and Ahmed Ibrahim, who had to struggle hard to beat Kuwaiti duo of Abdulrahman Alabdullah and Mohammad Alawadhi 4-6, 6-1, 10-5. The victory gave them place in the doubles final, where they will take on Pakistani pair of Hussnain and Haider.
In the singles quarterfinals, Hussnain Ali Rizwan (LGS Paragon Lahore) beat Kuwait’s Mohammad Alawadhi 6-2, 6-2. Hussnain was off to flying start as he dominated the match right from word go and won the first set 6-2, and played well in the second set with the identical score of 6-2 to book berth in the semifinals. In other quarterfinals, Haider Ali Rizwan lost to Rushkesh Sonawane 2-6, 7-6(5) while Hamza Ali Rizwan was beaten by Issa Ali 6-1, 6-3.
Talking to The Nation, Rizwan Yousaf said that her kids played well against their respective opponents and after a tough fight, they managed to excel in the doubles while two of them failed to deliver in the singles quarterfinals. “I am very hopeful that Pakistani tennis stars will win doubles gold medal and also try to win the honour for Pakistan in the singles.”