The second stage of the Asian and International Tennis Federation (ITF) Championships for players under 14 years old begins on Sunday, alongside the regional qualifiers for West and Central Asia. The tournament is organised by the Oman Tennis Association at the tennis courts of the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bausher and will run through January 23.
In the first stage of the championship, Syria's Mohammed Saleem secured the championship title in the boys singles after defeating Iraq's Hassan Ghriari in a commanding final performance by 6-1, 6-0. Hassan Ghriari claimed the runner-up position, showcasing remarkable skill throughout the tournament despite the challenging final. Third place was clinched by Kyrgyzstan's Aseinov.
In the boys doubles, Syrian duo of Mohammed Saleem and Karim Salim clinched the title after beating Iraq's Ali Hassan Al Gharizi and Ahmed Talib in the final 3-6, 6-2, 10-4. Securing third were Kyrgyzstan duos Bektur Aseinov and Maksim Kim, along with Azzan Sarouji and Eissa Algafli.
In the under-14 girls doubles, Kyrgyzstan’s Sofiya Myzaeva and Eva Gavshina emerged champions after a dominant performance in the final, defeating the second-seeded Lebanese pair of Leana and Lama 7-6(4), 6-4. Third place was shared by the Syrian duo Yara Sammouh and Bissan Jamoul, along with Qatari duo Shaikha Almeadadi and Dana al Thani, both teams exhibiting impressive teamwork and competitive spirit.
Gavshina champion
In the under-14 girls singles, Kyrgyzstan’s Eva Gavshina claimed the championship title after a dominant victory in the final against Tajikistan's Sofiya Myzaeva with a commanding score of 6-0, 6-0. Myzaeva secured the runner-up position, while Oman's Areen al Rkouzi took third place.
Amir Borghei, Development Officer for International Tennis Federation (ITF) in the Western and Central Asia regions, said the matches of the ITF Western and Central Asia U14 Regional Qualifying events in Muscat are progressing well.
Amir expressed that this year, the tournament has seen remarkable growth in participation, with 13 nations competing — 11 from West Asia and two from Central Asia. This is a significant increase compared to last year, with five additional countries joining the competition. One of the key factors contributing to this success is the exceptional hospitality and organisation provided by the Oman Tennis Association, he said.
"I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to their entire team for hosting the event at such a high standard, both in terms of logistics and technical execution," Amir added.
"From this event, two nations will qualify for the finals in 2026. Additionally, at the end of these two weeks, we will select four standout players — two boys and two girls — based on their performance and results. These players will join the ITF team to compete in the finals of this event in Asia. The selection is purely merit-based, relying entirely on the points they earn through their match results.
Regarding the level of competition, Amir said: "I have observed significant improvements across the board. This progress is particularly noticeable among the girls, whose matches have been exciting and showcase their growing skill and competitiveness compared to last year."
"The primary goal of this tournament and similar events organiSed by the ITF is to bring together the region’s top young players and provide them with the opportunity to compete at a high level. This platform not only fosters healthy competition but also helps identify and prepare the most promising talents for the next stage of international play," Amir concluded.
Pics by: Abdulwahid al Hamadani
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