MUSCAT: Oman’s national Under-16 boys’ tennis team has begun its campaign in the Davis Cup Juniors Asia/Oceania Pre-Qualifying tournament in Colombo, Sri Lanka, marking a second successive appearance for Omani teams in the Sri Lankan capital after the national girls’ team recently concluded its participation in the Billie Jean King Cup Juniors competition. The ITF lists the Colombo event as DCJ Asia/Oceania Pre-Qualifying and schedules it from March 23 to 28, 2026.
The tournament features 14 participating teams after several countries were unable to take part due to the current circumstances. Originally, 28 teams were expected to compete, with the top two sides from the 15-team field advancing to the finals later this year.
The draw for the tournament was held the night before last, placing Oman in Group B alongside second-seeded Singapore, sixth-seeded Turkmenistan and Myanmar.
Oman will open their campaign against Turkmenistan, with the team hoping to produce positive results despite facing strong competition from higher-ranked and more experienced opponents. The immediate target will be to secure a place in the second round of the tournament.
The Omani delegation includes Ahmed bin Ibrahim al Balushi as head of delegation, coach Soufiane Doub, and players Moataz bin Issa al Mazrouei and Abdulrahman bin Ahmed al Rahbi.
The participating teams in the tournament are Oman, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Turkmenistan, Macau, the Philippines, Guam, Mongolia, Pacific Oceania, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar and Nepal.
Ahmed al Balushi, head of delegation, said the tournament represents an important stage in the development of Oman’s junior players and reflects the team’s growing familiarity with the Davis Cup Juniors pathway, which has become a regular feature for Omani tennis in recent years.
He added that the current U16 squad is being prepared for the future with the aim of progressing to the senior men’s level, stressing the importance of competing in such tournaments to improve technical standards, gain international exposure and collect more ranking points. He noted that the tournament will be highly competitive due to the presence of several seeded teams and strong players chasing qualification to the finals.
U16 GIRLS CONCLUDE CAMPAIGN
Al Balushi said Oman will work hard to achieve positive results and first secure a place in the second round, adding that playing on clay courts will also provide a valuable new experience for several players who are more accustomed to other main playing surfaces.
Meanwhile, Oman’s national U16 girls’ team concluded its participation in the Billie Jean King Cup Juniors in Sri Lanka a few days ago after reaching the quarterfinals and delivering a number of encouraging results in the opening stage against higher-ranked teams. The team was represented by Sarah al Balushi as head of delegation, along with players Taliya al Busaidy, Areen al Azkawi and Salma al Riyami.
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