Muscat: The Oman Open Tennis Championship concluded on Wednesday, organised by the Oman Tennis Association (OTA) with the participation of over 180 players of various ages and nationalities. The final match was held at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex tennis courts in Bausher, under the auspices of Moatasem al Zadjali, OTA Chairman, and in the presence of Tharwa Al Naimat, Ambassador of Jordan to the Sultanate of Oman.
The tournament witnessed a high level of competition, culminating in an intense Men’s Professional Final, which featured an exciting match between brothers Muneer al Rawahi and Younis al Rawahi. Younis took the first set 6-4, relying on strong serves and extended rallies. However, Muneer made a comeback in the second set, winning 6-1, forcing a decisive tie-break set. Younis ultimately secured the championship with a 10-8 victory.
The final week of the tournament saw the conclusion of matches across various age categories, with players competing in a spirited atmosphere that reflected the growth of tennis in Oman. After the matches, the OTA chairman and his deputy honoured the winners and presented the awards, marking the successful conclusion of the tournament, which effectively attracted emerging talent and strengthened the presence of tennis locally.
Tournament Results
In the Boys Under-8 category, Fayyad al Hilali secured first place, followed by Said al Murjibi in second, Ali al Riyami in third and Elias al Touqi in fourth. In Boys Under-9, Hood al Hashemi claimed the title, with Omar al Shaibani finishing second, Hatem al Rahbi third and Safna fourth. In the Boys Under-10, Ryan Tyagi emerged as the champion, followed by Andrey Gubanov in second, Arvin Adidev in third and Sarah al Maskari in fourth. In the Boys Under-12, Richard Peters took the top spot, with Kavinraj Arunraj as the runner-up. Meanwhile, in the Girls Under-12, Serena Fergus was crowned champion, with Jagsha Diori securing second place.
In the Boys Under-18, Moataz al Mazroui claimed first place, followed by Brijesh Brahman in second. In the Girls Under-18, Aisha al Busaidy won the title, with Areen al Azkawi finishing second. In the Men’s Singles, Abdullah al Barwani secured first place, while Younis al Rawahi finished as the runner-up. In the Women’s Singles, Jacqueline emerged victorious, with Aisha al Busaidy finishing in second place.
Among the Veterans, King Sly claimed the Over-45 category, followed by Hemant in second. In Over-55, Thanjamalai secured first place, with Hemant finishing second. Finally, in the Over-65 category, Nasser al Rashid was crowned champion, followed by Madani al Bakri in second place.
Exceptional Edition
Moatasem al Zadjali, praised the tournament’s success, highlighting its exceptional edition this year.
He stated: "We successfully attracted around 180 players, and for the first time, we introduced veteran categories for ages 45+, 55+ and 65+, with the oldest participant reaching an impressive age of 84 years."
He expressed satisfaction with the strong player turnout, congratulating the winners and encouraging those who did not succeed this time. He affirmed that the association aims to organise similar competitions regularly, providing players with opportunities to develop their skills.
Looking ahead, Al Zadjali revealed plans to host more local and international tournaments, including the upcoming Veterans Championship under the International Tennis Federation (ITF) in Salalah in September. He emphasised that Salalah’s appeal as a tourist destination could boost international participation.
Additionally, he disclosed plans to host another Veterans Championship in Muscat at the end of the year, along with several other international tournaments.
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