TENNIS – BAHRAIN enjoyed a hot start yesterday in the 2024 Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Group V tennis tournament, currently being hosted by the kingdom at the Bahrain Tennis Federation (BTF) courts in Isa Town.
The home team powered to a resounding 3-0 victory over their counterparts from Bangladesh in their opening match-up in Pool D of the competition’s preliminary round.
The Bahrainis and Bangladeshis are two of 15 senior men’s national teams from across the continent taking part in the event. The squads are vying for two berths in promotion to next year’s Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Group IV.
Bahrain’s Elyas Abdulnabi gave Bahrain a positive start in their head-to-head with Bangladesh yesterday, winning 6-1, 6-1 in the first singles match against Md Hanif Munna.
Yusuf Qaed then maintained their winning ways but needed three sets and nearly two-and-a-half hours to overcome a battling Zarif Abrar 6-2, 6-7 (6), 6-1 in their contest.
Elyas then paired up with Hasan Abdulnabi to complete the Bahrainis’ sweep after winning their doubles clash against Bangladesh’s Abrar and Mohammad Rustom Ali 6-3, 6-1 in a match that lasted less than an hour.
Bahrain will be aiming to continue their winning ways today when they lock horns with Tajikistan, who lost to Yemen 0-3 in yesterday’s other Pool D fixture.
Yemen’s Mohammed Makki won against Tajikistan’s Rustami Vokhid Kayumzoda 5-7, 7-5, 6-4 in match one of their meeting and then Ghassan Al Ansi outplayed Bakthiyor Aliboev 6-1, 6-0 in the second of the singles ties. In the doubles affair, Al Ansi teamed up with Ishaq Alhassan to beat Aliboev and Zyoev Ibrohim 6-0, 6-0 to secure Yemen’s convincing victory.
In other action yesterday, Nepal edged past Guam 2-1 in their opening fixture; while in Pool B, the Philippines outclassed Mongolia 3-0 and Turkmenistan defeated Macau 2-1. In Pool C, Laos swept past Bhutan 3-0 and Northern Mariana Islands beat the Maldives 3-0.
Action continues today at the BTF from 9am. All are welcome to attend.
At the end of a single round-robin, the top team from each pool will move on to the decisive matches for promotion. The winners of Pool A will play the number one team from Pool D, while the first-placed squads from Pools B and C will face off.
The 2024 Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Group V is scheduled to continue at the BTF until Saturday.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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