Srinagar Open Tennis Championship commences

Srinagar, Nov 9: The Srinagar Open Tennis Championship commenced on Saturday at the Gindun Tennis courts, Rajbagh, featuring 10 competitive matches on the opening day.

The tournament's first day was highlighted by an epic battle between Irfan Bhat and Dilbagh Singh. In a gruelling three-hour contest, Singh emerged victorious with a score of 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 to secure his quarterfinal berth.

Another notable match saw Rouf Ahmad triumphing over Mir Jameel in a two-hour-25-minute thriller. Ahmad clinched the match 6-2, 4-6, 6-4. In a separate three-set encounter, Gurmit Singh overcame Sajad Bhat 4-6, 6-2, 6-0, setting up a quarterfinal showdown with Dilbagh Singh.

Defending champion Inayat Jehangir and last year's finalist Haider Hussain both advanced to the semifinals with straight-set victories, keeping alive the possibility of a title rematch. Hussain's path to victory faced a brief challenge when he trailed 2-5 in the second set against Shubhkarman Singh, but he recovered impressively to win 6-1, 7-5.

The championship, organised by the District Lawn Tennis Association under the aegis of Jammu and Kashmir Lawn Tennis Association, has established itself as a significant event in Kashmir's tennis calendar.