LAHORE - Rising star Zohaib Afzal Malik (SA Group) has utilized his US training experience well against the country fellows in the 19th Westbury National Tennis Championship 2022 and qualified for the finals of three categories including U-12 and U-14 singles and U-14 doubles.
According to Media Coordinator Ishrat Zehra, Zohaib, a shinning student of LGS Phase V, first thrashed his opponent Ruhab by a huge margin of 4-0, 4-0 to make into the U-12 final. He then played a hard-fought match against Ahsan and after facing tough resistance from him in the first set, the talented kid humbled Ahsan to win the encounter 5-4 (7-1), 4-0 and also booked a berth in the U-14 singles final. Partnering with Muzamil, Zohaib then outsmarted Ruhab/Hadi 4-2, 4-0 to earn a place in the U-14 doubles, thus making into three finals of the prestigious national event.
Soon after completing the hat-trick of victories in the three semifinals on the fifth day of the event, Zohaib thanked Allah Almighty for this big and unique achievement and vowed that he would continue to perform well in big events. “I am thankful to my parents, family and especially my uncle Sohail Afzal Malik, my mentor and coach Sir Muhammad Khalid and physical trainer Muhammad Arshad for their guidance and support due to which he is excelling in his respective categories and eyeing something big gradually at national and international circuit.”
In the U-16 singles quarterfinals, Faiz Ilyas beat Gibran Shah 6-2, 6-4. In the U-14 singles quarterfinals, Muzamil Khan beat Samer Zaman 7-5, 4-2. In the U-12 singles quarterfinals, Rohab Faisal beat Hamza Areejo 4-0, 4-0, Junaid Ali beat Rashid Ali 4-2, 2-4, 4-1, Ali Bachani beat Eschelle Asif 4-0, 4-1, Zayd Zaman beat Majid Ali 4-0, 4-0. In U-10 singles semifinals, Rashid Ali beat Emre Ashraf 4-0, 4-0. In U-8 quarterfinals, Azan Imran beat Ahmed Bari 10-3, 10-7.
In men’s singles quarterfinals, Shahab Khan beat Amir Mumtaz 7-6, 6-0 and Muhammad Ali beat Majid 6-1, 6-2, Ibadur Rehman w/o Mustafa Ali. In men’s doubles, Sem Shahab Khan/Adnan Khan 8-3, Murad Khan/Aqeel Shabbir beat Mustafa Burny/Asad Zaman 8-2, Shoaib Anis/Sher Ahmed beat Robin Das/Ali Imam 8-3. In 35 plus doubles semifinals, Muhammad Abdul Saeed/Sqd Ldr Ishtiaq beat Robin Das/Foad Sayeed 8-6 and Shumael Tajamul/Ali Mansoor Zaidi beat Shoaib Anis/Sher Ahmed 8-3.
ZTBL’s Rashid Malik and Javed Iqbal beat Air Marshall Razi Nawab and Zafar Hassan 6-1, 6-2 to reach the finals of 55 plus doubles. Both Malik and Javed played tremendous tennis against their opponents and didn’t allow them play freely, thus winning the first set comfortably by 6-1 and the second one by 6-2 to confirm their place in the 55 plus doubles final.
According to Media Coordinator Ishrat Zehra, Zohaib, a shinning student of LGS Phase V, first thrashed his opponent Ruhab by a huge margin of 4-0, 4-0 to make into the U-12 final. He then played a hard-fought match against Ahsan and after facing tough resistance from him in the first set, the talented kid humbled Ahsan to win the encounter 5-4 (7-1), 4-0 and also booked a berth in the U-14 singles final. Partnering with Muzamil, Zohaib then outsmarted Ruhab/Hadi 4-2, 4-0 to earn a place in the U-14 doubles, thus making into three finals of the prestigious national event.
Soon after completing the hat-trick of victories in the three semifinals on the fifth day of the event, Zohaib thanked Allah Almighty for this big and unique achievement and vowed that he would continue to perform well in big events. “I am thankful to my parents, family and especially my uncle Sohail Afzal Malik, my mentor and coach Sir Muhammad Khalid and physical trainer Muhammad Arshad for their guidance and support due to which he is excelling in his respective categories and eyeing something big gradually at national and international circuit.”
In the U-16 singles quarterfinals, Faiz Ilyas beat Gibran Shah 6-2, 6-4. In the U-14 singles quarterfinals, Muzamil Khan beat Samer Zaman 7-5, 4-2. In the U-12 singles quarterfinals, Rohab Faisal beat Hamza Areejo 4-0, 4-0, Junaid Ali beat Rashid Ali 4-2, 2-4, 4-1, Ali Bachani beat Eschelle Asif 4-0, 4-1, Zayd Zaman beat Majid Ali 4-0, 4-0. In U-10 singles semifinals, Rashid Ali beat Emre Ashraf 4-0, 4-0. In U-8 quarterfinals, Azan Imran beat Ahmed Bari 10-3, 10-7.
In men’s singles quarterfinals, Shahab Khan beat Amir Mumtaz 7-6, 6-0 and Muhammad Ali beat Majid 6-1, 6-2, Ibadur Rehman w/o Mustafa Ali. In men’s doubles, Sem Shahab Khan/Adnan Khan 8-3, Murad Khan/Aqeel Shabbir beat Mustafa Burny/Asad Zaman 8-2, Shoaib Anis/Sher Ahmed beat Robin Das/Ali Imam 8-3. In 35 plus doubles semifinals, Muhammad Abdul Saeed/Sqd Ldr Ishtiaq beat Robin Das/Foad Sayeed 8-6 and Shumael Tajamul/Ali Mansoor Zaidi beat Shoaib Anis/Sher Ahmed 8-3.
ZTBL’s Rashid Malik and Javed Iqbal beat Air Marshall Razi Nawab and Zafar Hassan 6-1, 6-2 to reach the finals of 55 plus doubles. Both Malik and Javed played tremendous tennis against their opponents and didn’t allow them play freely, thus winning the first set comfortably by 6-1 and the second one by 6-2 to confirm their place in the 55 plus doubles final.
