ISLAMABAD - Muhammad Abid Ali Akber Tuesday came from behind to beat Serbian Igor Banicevic 2-1 in a well-contested thrilling three sets first round match of the men’s singles of the $15,000 4th Benazir Bhutto Shaheed ITF Pakistan Futures-F3 and National Ranking Tennis Championships-2018, here at Islamabad Tennis Complex on Tuesday.
It was a wonderful afternoon and both players were looking fresh and ready to give spectators something to cheer about. The first set started with local hope Abid racing onto take a decisive 4-1 lead and was all set to wrap up the first set but he made some crucial blunders, which allowed Banicevic to first level the game at 4-4. Then he was leading 5-4. Abid managed to level at 5-5, Banicevic hold his serve to make it 6-5, Abid made two errors, which resulted in Banicevic taking the first set 7-5. After losing first set, Abid came up with fresh zeal in the second set and kept Banicevic under immense pressure. The massive local crowd support including his father Ali Akbar, Abid bounced back in style and broke third game of Banicevic and took the second set 6-3 to square the things.
Banicevic was looking frustrated and was making lot of noise and was pumped up and looking highly determined to win the third set. Both players showed tremendous fighting skills and world class tennis was on offer. It was 6-6 and the set went into tie-break. Abid was in devastating mood as he was hitting the winners and his powerful down the line returns were a treat to watch for the pack to capacity crowd. Abid raced onto take the third set 7-6 (2) to book a place in the second round.
In the other matches of the day, Alexander Pavlioutchenkov (RUS) beat Ahmed Chaudhary 6-3, 7-6(1); Shamael Chaudhry (GBR) beat Dmitry Myagkov (RUS) 6-3, 6-3; Kian Wehnelt (GER) beat Jackson Varney (AUS) 6-4, 6-1; Hamidreza Nadaf (IRI) beat Lakshit Sood (IND) 6-1, 6-2; Muhammad Abid Ali Akber (PAK) beat Igor Banicevic (SRB) 5-7, 6-3, 7-6(2); Worovin Kumthonkittikul (THA) beat Aftab Nauman 6-3, 6-1; Rio Noguchi (JPN) beat Kent Tagashira (JPN) 6-0, 7-5.
In the men’s doubles, Pakistan’s top player Aqeel Khan pairing with future prospect Muzammil Murtaza made huge upset as they ousted Jeo Cooper (GBR)/Matt Seeberger (USA) in straight sets. The awesome pair of Pakistan was too hot to handle for the foreign pair. Aqeel/Muzammil won the first set 6-3 and they took second set 6-4 to reach second round. In the other matches, Anton Chekhov (RUS)/Kai Wehnlet (GER) beat Chandril Sood (IND)/Lakshit Sood (IND) 6-2 6-4; Ti Chen (TPE)/Ray Ho (TPE) beat Dmitry Myagkov (RUS)/Saida’lo Saidkarimov (UZB) 6-2, 6-7(5) 12-10; Vladimir Polyakov (RUS)/Alexander Pavlioutchenkov (RUS) beat Lorenzo Bocchi (ITA)/Darko Jandric (SRB) 7-6(6), 2-6; 10-8.
In the ladies singles, national champion Ushna Suhail thrashed Sheeza Sajid 6-0, 6-0; Sara Mehboob hammered Mehek Khokhar 6-0, 6-1; Esha Jawad beat Fatima Ali Raja 6-1, 6-1; Bakhtawar Haider beat Mahrukh Farooque 6-1, 6-2; Mahvish Chishtie beat Adela Miron 6-0, 6-1; Khunsha Baber beat Mahnoor Suhail 6-0, 6-0; Hania Navid beat Shimza Naz 6-3, 6-3.
In boys singles U-18 first round: Rayan Jawad beat Muhammad Bin Mufasir 6-0, 6-4; Sikandar Amin W/O Shahzad Khan; Faizan Shahid W/O Hammadullah; Saim Danish beat Hamza Jawad 6-3, 0-6, 6-1; Azan Sajid beat Hasan Bin Mufasir 7-5, 2-6, 6-3; Musa Choudhry W/o M Omar, in boys singles U-14 second round: M Taha Aman beat Azan Shahid 6-1, 6-1; Hamza Roman W/O Asim Haziq; Kashan Umar beat Mujtaba Tariq 6-0,6-2; Sami Zeb beat Saim Danish 6-2, 6-4; Hamid Israr beat Kamran Khan 6-2, 6-1; Talha Khan beat Hamza Asim 6-1, 6-0; Uzair Khan beat Azan Sajid 6-0, 6-0; Ahmed Nael beat Ali Zain 6-0, 6-2; in boys/girls singles U-10 first round: Hamza Roman beat Hamad Shah 4-2, 4-2; Abdul Wassay beat Amna Qayyum 4-0, 4-0; Jamal Shah beat Rayan Aman 4-0, 4-1; Abdul Basit beat Mahrukh Sajid 4-0, 4-0; Haziq Asim beat Zainab Ali Raja 3-5, 4-1, 4-1; Abdur Rehman W/O Abdul Rehman; Ali Zain W/O Abubakar Talha.