TENNIS – THE Philippines and Nepal both secured promotion yesterday to next year’s Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Group IV.
The two senior men’s national teams clinched their spots after winning their respective promotional play-offs in the 2024 Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Group V tennis tournament, which came to a close at the Bahrain Tennis Federation (BTF) courts in Isa Town.
The Filipinos edged past the Northern Mariana Islands 2-1 in their head-to-head yesterday while the Nepalese ousted hosts Bahrain 2-0 in their winner-take-all affair.
Following the two match-ups, the sides were presented their respective medals by BTF president Shaikh Abdulaziz bin Mubarak Al Khalifa. BTF secretary general Fuad Al Rowaie was also on hand.
In the Philippines’ win, Eric Olivarez Jr got his team off to a positive start by outclassing Robert Schorr 6-1, 6-0 in their singles encounter.
Colin Sinclair then brought Northern Mariana Islands back on level terms but needed a tough three sets to do so against Alberto Lim, who won the first set. Sinclair battled back to overcome the deficit and take their contest 5-7, 6-4, 6-1.
That set the stage for the decisive doubles match, which was played between the Filipino pairing of Francis Casey Alcantara and Ruben Gonzalez and the Northern Mariana Islands duo of Schorr and Sinclair.
Alcantara and Gonzalez battled to a tough win in the first set, and then rode their momentum into the second to close the match out 7-5, 6-1 and secure their promotion.
Meanwhile, in Nepal’s triumph over Bahrain, Pradip Khadka claimed a hard-earned 6-3, 6-3 victory against Elyas Abdulnabi to take a crucial lead in the match-up.
Abhishek Bastola then took advantage of the situation to complete the tie and he did just that – beating Bahrain’s Yusuf Qaed 6-4, 6-1 to end the home side’s hopes of claiming a coveted spot in next year’s Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Group IV.
With the promotional place secured, the doubles match between Nepal’s Bastola and Pradip against Bahrain’s Abdulnabi and Qaed was no longer played.
Bahrain first participated in the international competition in 1989 and have made four appearances in the Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Group II. Last year, they also competed in Group V.
This year’s event was one of several high-profile global tennis competitions being held in the kingdom over the course of several weeks this month and the next.
There are three International Tennis Federation (ITF) World Tennis Tour Juniors calendar tournaments – including two J30 events already held and one J60 competition taking place next month – as well as the Billie Jean King Cup Asia/Oceania Group III, which will take place from tomorrow to Saturday at the BTF.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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