KATHMANDU, May 17: Nepal has advanced to the semifinals of both boys' and girls' sections in the ongoing South Asia Regional Qualifiers of the ITF U-12 Team Championship on Wednesday.
In the last league round matches, Nepal defeated Pakistan 3-0 in boys' category to become Group B runner-up in order to book its place in the last four. In the girls' category as well, Nepal became Group A runner-up to progress into the semifinals.
Now in the boys' semifinal, Nepal will take on Group A winner India while in the girls' semifinal Nepal will compete against Group B winner Sri Lanka.
Similarly in the other boys' last four clashes, Group B winner Bangladesh will take on Group A runner-up Bhutan while in the the girls' category, Group A winner India will compete against Group B runner-up Bangladesh. All the semifinal matches will be played on Thursday.
In the boys' Group B matches played at Satdobato Tennis Court, Nepal's Aarav Samrat Hada and Aryan Giri defeated Pakistani opponents Bilal Asim and Hamid Israr respectively. Aarav saw off Bilal 6-3, 6-3 while Aryan overcame Hamid 1-6, 6-0, 6-2. Similarly in the boys doubles match, the pair of Aarav and Aryan beat the pair of Hamid and Kashan Umar Khalil in straight sets of 6-4, 6-1.
Similarly in the boys' Group A matches, top seeded India registered 3-0 win over the Maldives. India's Nithis Baalaji and Ayushman Arjeria defeated Maldivian opponents Raudhak Maumoon and Mohamed Namiq Shahid. Nithis saw off Raudhak 6-1, 6-0 while Ayuashman beat Mohamed in straight sets of 6-0, 6-0. In the doubles section, the Indian pair overcame the challenge the Maldivians 6-1, 6-1.
Likewise, Bangladesh defeated Sri Lanka 2-1 in the boys' Group B matches. In the singles event, Sri Lankan player Wenuka Kithnula defeated Zubaed Utsho while in the other singles clash Bangladeshi participant Mohamed Roman Hossain beat Sri Lanka's Vichithya Sarindu Nilaweera.
Wenuka saw off Zubaed in straight sets of 6-3, 6-0 while Mohamed Hossain defeated Vichithya 5-4, 6-0.
In the doubles section Bangladeshi pair comprising of Mohamed Roman Hossain and Mahadi Hasan Alve defeated Sri Lanka's Wenuka and Anujaya Abeywickrama 7-5, 6-0.
Meanwhile in the girls' Group A matches, India eased past the Maldives 3-0. In the girls' singles, Indian participants Sweta Samanta and Anjali Rathi overcame Maldivian players Layan Mohamed and Zoya Zubin respectively. Sweta saw off Layan in straight sets of 6-0, 6-0 while Anjali beat Zoya with the identical scoreline. Likewise in the girls' doubles, the pair of Sweta and Shruti Ahlawat overcame the challenge of the pair of Layan and Aminath Azika Naseer in straight sets of 6-0, 6-0.
In the girls' Group B matches, Sri Lanka defeated Bangladesh 3-0. In the singles event, Sri Lanka's Dinethya Dharmarate and Heshani Imanga overcame Bangladeshi opponents Sadia Afrin and Mashfia Afrin respectively. Dinethya and Heshani saw off Sadia and Mashfia with the identical scores of 6-0, 6-0. In the doubles event, the pair of Dinethya and Dewmin Warnasuriya beat the pair of Mashfia and Sadia in straight sets of 6-3, 6-3.
ITF Asian U12 Tennis Qualifiers from May 15
