Oman begin ITF U14 qualifiers in Bahrain
Published: 05:02 PM,Feb 24,2025 | EDITED : 09:02 PM,Feb 24,2025
MUSCAT, FEB 24
The Oman national tennis team began its journey in the preliminary qualifiers of the international championship, held in Bahrain. The tournament is organised by the Bahrain Tennis Federation in collaboration with the International Tennis Federation (ITF), with the participation of 21 teams. The competition will continue until March 1.
The Oman delegation consists of Ahmed al Balushi as the delegation manager, coach Sofiane Doub, and players Moataz al Mazrouei, Abdulrahman al Rahbi and Azzan al Busaidy.
The draw placed the under-14 national team in Group 5 alongside Kyrgyzstan and the UAE. Meanwhile, Indonesia was placed in Group 1 along with Guam and Yemen. Group 2 includes Hong Kong, Mongolia and Jordan, while Group 3 features Syria, Turkmenistan and Bahrain. Group 4 consists of Saudi Arabia, Nepal, and Bangladesh, whereas Group 6 includes Iraq, Lebanon and Macau. Lastly, Group 7 comprises the Philippines, Malaysia and the Maldives.
The winner of each group will advance to the final stages, where only two teams from the participating nations will qualify for the Junior World Cup qualifiers.
In this context, Sofiane Doub, Oman coach, emphasised that the championship level is extremely high, featuring outstanding players with advanced rankings at both the Asian and international levels. He noted that this tournament presents a significant challenge for the participating teams, especially for those competing at this level for the first time or with limited experience.
He added, “we are well aware that the competition will be tough. Some teams have a long history in junior tennis, such as Indonesia, Hong Kong and the Philippines, who have highly experienced players. However, we are prepared for this challenge and are working on enhancing our players’ strengths and refining their strategies on the court to keep up with this high level of play.”
Regarding Oman's opening match in the tournament, Doub stated that the team will face the UAE in its first game. He emphasised that securing a positive result at the start will be crucial in boosting the players’ morale and giving them the confidence to continue their journey with strength.
The coach also pointed out that the technical staff focused in recent training sessions on analysing the playing styles of their opponents, closely monitoring the UAE team's performances in previous tournaments to identify their strengths and weaknesses. He affirmed that the players are highly motivated to achieve a positive result and make a strong impression in the championship.
He concluded by saying, “our ambition is not just to compete but also to gain experience and develop our players' skills for their sporting future. We are here to prove that Omani tennis is capable of competing with top Asian teams, and we hope that our players will deliver their best possible performance in this tournament.”
The Oman national tennis team began its journey in the preliminary qualifiers of the international championship, held in Bahrain. The tournament is organised by the Bahrain Tennis Federation in collaboration with the International Tennis Federation (ITF), with the participation of 21 teams. The competition will continue until March 1.
The Oman delegation consists of Ahmed al Balushi as the delegation manager, coach Sofiane Doub, and players Moataz al Mazrouei, Abdulrahman al Rahbi and Azzan al Busaidy.
The draw placed the under-14 national team in Group 5 alongside Kyrgyzstan and the UAE. Meanwhile, Indonesia was placed in Group 1 along with Guam and Yemen. Group 2 includes Hong Kong, Mongolia and Jordan, while Group 3 features Syria, Turkmenistan and Bahrain. Group 4 consists of Saudi Arabia, Nepal, and Bangladesh, whereas Group 6 includes Iraq, Lebanon and Macau. Lastly, Group 7 comprises the Philippines, Malaysia and the Maldives.
The winner of each group will advance to the final stages, where only two teams from the participating nations will qualify for the Junior World Cup qualifiers.
In this context, Sofiane Doub, Oman coach, emphasised that the championship level is extremely high, featuring outstanding players with advanced rankings at both the Asian and international levels. He noted that this tournament presents a significant challenge for the participating teams, especially for those competing at this level for the first time or with limited experience.
He added, “we are well aware that the competition will be tough. Some teams have a long history in junior tennis, such as Indonesia, Hong Kong and the Philippines, who have highly experienced players. However, we are prepared for this challenge and are working on enhancing our players’ strengths and refining their strategies on the court to keep up with this high level of play.”
Regarding Oman's opening match in the tournament, Doub stated that the team will face the UAE in its first game. He emphasised that securing a positive result at the start will be crucial in boosting the players’ morale and giving them the confidence to continue their journey with strength.
The coach also pointed out that the technical staff focused in recent training sessions on analysing the playing styles of their opponents, closely monitoring the UAE team's performances in previous tournaments to identify their strengths and weaknesses. He affirmed that the players are highly motivated to achieve a positive result and make a strong impression in the championship.
He concluded by saying, “our ambition is not just to compete but also to gain experience and develop our players' skills for their sporting future. We are here to prove that Omani tennis is capable of competing with top Asian teams, and we hope that our players will deliver their best possible performance in this tournament.”