Turkmen tennis players started their campaign in the qualification round of the ITF World Junior Tennis Competition for girls under 14 with a convincing 3-0 victory over Bangladesh. The WJT Girls Asia-Oceania Pre-Qualifying began today in Isa Town, Bahrain.
The ITF World Junior Tennis Competition Pre-Qualifying, held under the auspices of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) in collaboration with the Asian Tennis Federation (ATF), features 18 teams divided into six groups.
The Turkmenistan team is competing in Group "C" alongside teams from Bangladesh and Oceania.
The composition of other groups is as follows: Group "A" – Sri Lanka, Bahrain, Singapore; Group "B" – Lebanon, Mongolia, Jordan; Group "D" – Oman, Maldives, Macau; Group "E" – Kyrgyzstan, Syria, Philippines; Group "F" – Indonesia, Guam, Iraq.
The winners of each group will advance to the final qualification stage, which will take place from April 2 to April 14, 2025, in Malaysia. Based on the results of this stage, the two best teams from the Asia-Oceania zone will qualify for the final tournament featuring the 16 strongest teams from all continents.
At the opening ceremony of the ITF World Junior Tennis Competition Pre-Qualifying, participants were welcomed by Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Mubarak Al Khalifa, President of the Bahrain Tennis Federation. He wished the athletes success and a pleasant stay in the kingdom.
The Turkmenistan team at the ITF World Junior Tennis Competition Pre-Qualifying is represented by Aylar Kakabayeva, an 8th-grade student at Ashgabat’s School for Gifted Children named after Atamyrat Niyazov; Nazli Hudaygulyyeva, a 6th-grade student at Ashgabat Secondary School No. 87; and Sahra Garahanova, a 6th-grade student at Ashgabat Secondary School No. 90.
In their opening match against Bangladesh, Turkmen players faced no significant challenges. In singles matches, Nazli Hudaygulyyeva defeated Jannat Howlader 6-0, 6-1, while Aylar Kakabayeva triumphed over Humyray Haider Zara with a score of 6-1, 6-1. In doubles play, Sahra Garahanova and Nazli Hudaygulyyeva outperformed Jannat Howlader and Sara Al-Jasim in straight sets with a scoreline of 6-3, 6-0.
In their next match, Turkmenistan’s tennis players will face Oceania’s team, which also defeated Bangladesh with a score of 3-0 earlier.
The ITF team competitions for juniors are held for boys and girls in two age categories – under 14 and under 16. Both tournaments provide young tennis players with an opportunity to test themselves in international competitions and experience the unique atmosphere of team play while representing their country.
