Alikhan Nuryagdyyev, a young athlete from Turkmenistan, made an impressive debut on the international tennis stage by winning two gold medals at the prestigious “Aktobe Masters 10&Under GA Road to TOP 8” tournament, held from May 25 to 30 in the Kazakh city of Aktobe.
The competition brought together 96 boys and 96 girls under the age of 10, representing some of the strongest young tennis talents from various countries and regions. Despite the high level of competition and his young age, 8-year-old Alikhan displayed confident and mature tennis in both the singles and doubles events.
In the singles competition, the Turkmen player, seeded No. 60, confidently advanced through the draw and claimed the championship title. In the final, he defeated Kazakhstan’s G. Istomin, the tournament’s fifth seed, with a score of 4–1, 4–2. Alikhan was equally successful in the doubles event, where he partnered with Navid Sabyrov from the Kazakh city of Atyrau to capture a second gold medal.
For Alikhan Nuryagdyyev, this tournament marked his first appearance at an international event of this level. Nevertheless, the young athlete demonstrated excellent technique, confidence on the court, and remarkable determination, attracting the attention of coaches and spectators alike.
The young champion represents Ashgabat and trains under the guidance of Yuriy Rogusskiy and Meylis Orazmukhammedov. Alikhan is also a student at the A.S. Pushkin Joint Turkmen-Russian Secondary School, where he excels academically and has been awarded a Certificate of Merit for Outstanding Academic Achievement.
Despite his age, the tennis player already has experience competing in youth tournaments and has previously earned prize-winning finishes in competitions for athletes under the age of eight in Turkmenistan. Specialists note his diligence, discipline, and considerable potential.
Alikhan Nuryagdyyev’s victory in Aktobe is an important achievement not only for the young athlete himself but also for Turkmen tennis, which has been developing rapidly in recent years and is increasingly making its presence felt on the international stage.
