Kellovsky keeps hopes alive for title double

Manama : Dominik Kellovsky of the Czech Republic remained in a unique position following a thrilling fourth day of play in the Bahrain ITF Futures Tennis Tournament 2018 at Bahrain Tennis Club (BTC) in Juffair.

The 21-year- old is now the only player left in the competition with a chance to win both the singles and doubles titles. Kellovsky was victorious in both draws yesterday, and today will have the opportunity to secure his first crown.

Meanwhile, fan favourites Marian Jade Capadocia of the Philippines and Fatma Al Nabhani of Oman claimed a berth in the Women’s Doubles final following a thrilling victory in the last contest of Thursday night, played in front of a packed crowd.

Kellovsky punched his ticket to the Men’s Singles semi-finals after beating Vladyslav Orlov of Ukraine 6-3, 6-2. He then teamed up with countryman Marek Gengel and, as Men’s Doubles second seeds, proceeded on to qualify for the final with a 6-3, 6-4 triumph over the Italian- Swiss pair of Claudio Fortuna and Riccardo Maiga.

“It’s been a really good tournament for me and I will just try to keep winning as much as I can,” said Kellovsky, who is currently ranked 957th in the world.

Kellovsky and Gengel next take on the American pair of Robert Galloway and Anderson Reed in the Men’s Doubles final. Before that, however, Kellovsky will face Maiga again, this time in the Singles final four, and he remains upbeat heading into both ties even with the matches getting tougher by the day. 

Kellovsky had already won in Bahrain in the past, taking the doubles title in the 2015 tournament, and hopes to go one even better this time around.

Galloway and Reed booked their seats in the doubles championship match following a 6-4, 6-2 win over Kellovsky’s compatriots Ondrej Krstev and Patrik Rikl. The Czech tandem had their dream run in the doubles come to a disappointing end, after it began with a stunning first-round knockout of the top seeds.

In the Men’s Singles, third seed Jelle Sels of the Netherlands led his match against fifth seed Lukas Ollert 6-1, 3-0 when his German opponent was forced to retire. Maiga advanced after getting the better of American Robert Galloway 6-4, 6-2 in their head-to- head affair. Rikl made it through but needed three sets to defeat unseeded Briton Thomas Colautti 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 in an exciting two-hour encounter. Rikl and Sels now face off in the other mouth- watering Men’s Singles semi-final.

In the Women’s Doubles, the popular pairing of Capadocia and Al Nabhani claimed a berth in the title match after battling from a set down to upset the second- seeded Indian pair of Kanika Vaidya and Zeel Desai 3-6, 7-5, [10-4].

Capadocia and Al Nabhani take on Women’s Doubles top seeds Valeria Bhunu of Zimbabwe and Emily Webley-Smith of Great Britain in the final. Bhunu and Webley-Smith cruised past Rebecca Gustafson of Sweden and Varvara Kuznetsova 6-1, 6-2.

In the Women’s Singles, top seed Quirine Lemoine of the Netherland led four seeded players into their semi-finals. Also winners were third seed Nastja Kolar of Slovenia, fourth seed Mihalikova and eighth seed Vaidya.

Lemoine beat seventh-seeded Webley-Smith to advance, while Kolar defeated Slovakia’s Viktoria Morvayova and Mihalikova beat Omani fifth seed Fatma Al Nabhani. Vaidya had the big upset as she took down second seed Ana Veselinovic 6-4, 6-4 in a tough clash.

Lemoine and Kolar face off in one semi-final, while Vaidya and Mihalikova battle in the other.

The doubles title matches on Friday are scheduled to begin no earlier than 5.30pm. The tournament concludes on Saturday at BTC with the singles finals and closing ceremony.

FULL RESULTS:

Men’s Singles:

Patrik Rikl (CZE)-7 beat Thomas Colautti (GBR) 4-6, 6-3, 6-3

Jelle Sels (NED)-3 beat Lukas Ollert (GER)-5 6-1, 3-0 Ret.

Dominik Kellovsky (CZE) beat Vladyslav Orlov (UKR) 6-3, 6-2

Riccardo Maiga (SUI) beat Robert Galloway (USA) 6-4, 6-2

Women’s Singles:

Quirine Lemoine (NED)-1 beat Emily Webley-Smith (GBR)-7 6-2, 6-3

Nastja Kolar (SLO)-3 beat Viktoria Morvayova (SVK) 6-3, 6-4

Kanika Vaidya (IND)-8 beat Ana Veselinovic (MNE)-2 6-4, 6-4

Tereza Mihalikova (SVK)-4 beat Fatma Al Nabhani (OMA)-5 6-1, 6-4

Men’s Doubles:

Robert Galloway (USA)/Anderson Reed (USA) beat Ondrej Krstev (CZE)/Patrik Rikl (CZE) 6-4, 6-2

Marek Gengel (CZE)/Dominik Kellovsky (CZE)-2 beat Claudio Fortuna (ITA)/Riccardo Maiga (SUI) 6-3, 6-4

Women’s Doubles:

Valeria Bhunu (ZIM)/Emily Webley-Smith (GBR)-1 beat Rebecca Gustafson (SWE)/Varvara Kuznetsova (RUS) 6-1, 6-2

Marian Jade Capadocia (PHI)/Fatma Al Nabhani (OMA) beat Kanika Vaidya (IND)/Zeel Desai (IND)-2 3-6, 7-5, [10-4]