Ali Thameem
Revival SC is set to play eight different quarterfinal games in the Botswana International Tournament 2024.
The four players; Fathmath Nabaha, Aminath Nabeeha, Nibal Ahmed and Hussain Zayan Zaki, have secured their place in all of the quarter-final events; men’s singles, women’s singles’ men’s doubles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles.
Women’s Singles
In the round of sixteen of women’s singles event, Aminath Nabeeha breezed past her opponent, T Mbewe, with 21-3 and 21-8 points in two sets. In today’s quarterfinal game, she will play Harshita Singh, a Ugandan player who is 240 ranks below Nabeeha in the singles world rankings.
Yesterday was a rest day for Fathmath Nabaha because her tournament seeding earned her a bye in the round of sixteen for all three events that she is competing in.
Nabaha is set to play a Zambian player Geneva Siamupangila, in the singles quarterfinals today.
Women’s Doubles
Nabeeha and Nabaha, who won the gold medal in the doubles event at the Zambia International earlier this month, are aiming to secure another victory at the Botswana International. In today’s quarterfinals, they will face a Zambian duo. If the twins advance to the semifinals, they will meet Sri Lanka’s Hasini Ambalangodage and Hasara Wijarayathne—the pair they defeated in the doubles final at the Zambia International.
Men’s Singles
In the men’s singles, Zayan Zaki is set to face K Mulenga, a Zambian player.
Zayan managed to defeat an Azerbaijani player, Agil Gabilov, by 21-18, 21-14 in yesterday’s round of sixteen. Earlier in the men’s singles, he faced Trinity Chipumho of Zimbabwe in the round of 32, who Zayan comfortably defeated with a score of 21-5, 21-15.
Taking on the opposite leg of the men’s bracket, Nibal Ahmed is yet to be seriously challenged; he received a ‘bye’ earlier in the tournament, then went on to beat Tumelu Moliva, a Botswana native, by 21-6, 21-14 in the round of sixteen. However, Nibal’s quarterfinal opponent, D.Pangestu, is 190 ranks above Nibal in the singles leaderboard.
Regardless of the outcome of the quarterfinals, Zayan and Nibal have already outperformed their previous results in the men’s singles at the Botswana International. In Zambia, both were eliminated in the round of 32.
Men’s Doubles
Zayan and Nibal will play against Zimbabweans T.Chipumho and B.Mahwire in the quarterfinal game of the men’s doubles. Zayan had previously defeated Chipumho in the singles event. If the Revival duo makes it to the semifinals, they might face the Azerbaijani pair who knocked them out in Zambia.
Mixed Doubles
Nabaha and Zayan had received a ‘bye’ in the round of sixteen and will play against a Botswana duo. The Revival’s mixed doubles pair is ranked 161st in the world and made it to the semifinals in Zambia.
The Azerbaijani mixed doubles pair who knocked out Zayan and Nabaha back in Zambia, are poised to be the quarterfinal opponents for Nibal and Nabeeha in Botswana.
Nibal and Nabeeha had faced and easily defeated a Zambian pair in the round of sixteen of the ongoing Botswana International.
