ISLAMABAD: Hamza Roman kept Pakistan’s hopes alive in the boys’ singles by reaching the semifinals at the J-30 PPL Pakistan World Junior Tennis Championships here at the PTF Tennis Complex on Thursday.
The 17-year-old Hamza defeated Aahil Kaleel of Sri Lanka 6-3, 7-5 to book his place in the last four.
His compatriots fell short, with Ahtesham Humayun losing to Belarus’ Aliaksandr Viarsotski 6-2, 6-7(3/7), 7-5 and Mohammad Hassan Usmani going down to Thailand’s Phasin Sinchalong 6-4, 6-4.
In the other boys’ quarter-final, Napat Pattanalertphan of Thailand beat Russian player Nikita Dogadin 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(7/5).
The boys’ and girls’ doubles quarters were postponed due to rain and will be played on Friday as per the revised schedule.
Six Pakistan players in the boys’ section Hamza, Ahtesham, Hazig Asim, Hassan, Amir Mazari and Abdul Basit along with Hajra Sohail remain in contention in the doubles quarter-finals.
In the girls’ singles lasteight fixtures, China’s Meimei Hu beat Evelina Dzepa of Russia 6-2, 6-3; Pimpisa Wongwanitkajon (Thailand) downed Arianna Grigorian (Russia) 6-0, 4-6, 6-1; Victoria Gruntova (Russia) beat Yijia Wang (China) 6-4, 6-1; and Varvara Rubrsova(Russia)defeated Yuqi Li (China) 6-3, 6-4.
-Sports Reporter