Junior tennis championship concludes on Saturday

MUSCAT, OCT 2
The Junior Tennis Championship 2026 concludes on Saturday at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bausher, with the closing ceremony scheduled for 6.30 pm under the auspices of Hassan bin Mohammed bin Taqi, Treasurer of the Oman Tennis Association.
The tournament began on Thursday and features three days of competition across the mini tennis, Under-9 and Under-10 categories. Matches continue on Friday ahead of the final day.
Fayadh al Hilali and Saeed al Marjibi were among the standout performers on the opening day, recording three victories each in the Under-9 competition.
Al Hilali completed his three matches without dropping a game. He opened with a 5-0 victory over Andrei Elias before defeating Gabriel Carneiro and Dingeman Ji by the same score.
Al Marjibi began with a 5-3 win over Ahmed al Touqi, followed by a 5-2 victory against Andrei Elias. He then overcame Amjaad 5-0 to complete a successful opening day.
Fahad al Hashmi also registered two wins in the same category, beating Gabriel Carneiro 5-3 before overcoming Dingeman Ji 5-2. Carneiro secured a 5-1 victory over Amjaad, while Ji received a walkover against Abdullah Malik.
In the Under-10 competition, Hatim al Rahbi defeated Andrei Elias 6-0, while Ahmed al Touqi beat Muhannad al Najjar 6-3.
OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUNG PLAYERS
Tournament Director Faisal al Balushi said the competition offered young players an opportunity to put their training into practice and develop confidence through match experience.
'We want these competitions to give young players the chance to apply what they learn in training and gain experience and confidence on court. At this age, we focus on their development and enjoyment of the game, while also helping them learn to respect their opponents and handle both winning and losing,' he said.
Al Balushi also highlighted the role of parents in encouraging children to remain involved in tennis.
Parents’ support and encouragement play an important part in keeping their children involved in the sport. We hope the tournament will be a rewarding experience for everyone taking part and encourage them to continue training and competing in future events, he added.
This edition is being held in two stages. The mini tennis, Under-9 and Under-10 competitions run from October 1 to 3, while the Under-12, Under-14 and Under-18 events are scheduled for October 6 to 8.