ITF Maldives Junior Open, the very first ITF-sanctioned tournament in Maldives, has officially kicked off its main draw games this morning.
The J30 tournament of the ITF Junior Circuit is being played at the Male’ Tennis Courts and hosted by the Tennis Association of Maldives. The first two days of the tournament were dedicated to the qualifying draw. Just two of the nine local players, Clara and Nym, made it through to the main draw.
The first round in both the girls’ and boys’ divisions will feature thirty two players each from across the world. Maldivian boys competing in the singles round-of-32 are Mohamed Kaisaan Izzath Rasheed, Mohamed Nooh Nazih, Adam Aal Niyaz and Daoud Shaheeb.
17-year-old Kaisaan is seeded against the 891st ranked junior tennis player in the world, Daisuke Hashimoto of Japan. Aal’s opponent, Bhing Huan Tsai of Chinese Taipei, is ranked 2583rd in the world. Nooh’s opponent, a 17-year-old Thai player Danthai Takong, is ranked 1897th, while Daoud, 17, faces an Indian opponent three years younger; Vedant Mohan, who is 1648th on the rankings.
In the girls’ main draw, ten of the thirty two players are Maldivian. They are; Manha Mohamed, Naba Nishan, Keyara Usama Ali, Nayara Usama Ali, Mishal Mohamed, Aishath Karin Saizan, Nym Ahmed Saleem, Clara Sarena Asif, Aara Aasaal Azim and Saarah Saamy Mohamed.