Abubakar claims ITF J-60 crown, China’s Zhou lifts girls’ title

LAHORE - Pakistan’s emerging tennis talent Abubakar Talha produced a composed and high-quality performance to clinch the Boys’ Singles title at the Treet ITF Pakistan Syed Dilawar Abbas Memorial Junior Tennis Championship (J-60, Leg-3), held at the PTF Tennis Complex, Islamabad.

In a fiercely contested final, Talha overcame Singapore’s Luke Jie Xi Ho in straight sets, 7-6(3), 7-6(7), in a match defined by intensity, resilience, and razor-thin margins. Both sets went down to tie-breaks, reflecting the evenly matched contest. Talha showed remarkable composure under pressure, particularly in the second-set tie-break, where he held his nerve to close out the championship on home soil. His consistency from the baseline and ability to win crucial points proved decisive in securing the title.

In the girls’ singles final, China’s Zhiyu Zhou delivered a commanding performance to outclass Korea’s Yerin Lim. Zhou raced to a straight-sets victory, winning 6-1, 6-1 in a one-sided contest. She controlled the match from the outset with aggressive shot-making and superior court coverage, leaving her opponent with little opportunity to mount a challenge.

The tournament attracted a strong international field, featuring 24 boys and 20 girls from 16 countries, including Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Singapore, Japan, China, Australia, Russia, Poland, South Korea, Sri Lanka, United States, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Netherlands, and Thailand. The diversity and competitiveness of the field underlined the growing stature of the event on the international junior tennis circuit. The championship is held annually in memory of Syed Dilawar Abbas, former president of the Pakistan Tennis Federation from 2001 to 2009. The event serves as a tribute to his enduring contributions to the development of tennis in Pakistan. The successful staging of the tournament was made possible through the support of key sponsors, including Faisal Movers, Book Karo, OGDCL, Ndure, and Syngenta Pakistan.

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