Bahrain Women’s team set for ITF Fed Cup debut

Manama : Bahrain women’s tennis team is set to make its debut in the ITF Federation Cup today when they take on Hong Kong ranked 61 in its first Pool A Asia/Oceania Zone Group 2 match on the hard outdoor courts at the True Arena Hua Hin venue in Thailand.

The Bahraini team comprises Nazli Nader Redha, Maram Mohammed Sharif and Malak Jassim Fardan and are accompanied by captain/coach and former Davis Cup player Essam Abdul A’al.

They then take on Iran ranked 77 tomorrow, Philippines ranked 48 on Thursday and Pacific Oceania ranked 74 on Friday to conclude its round-robin matches.

Meanwhile, the top ranked side in Pool A, Philippines easily beat Iran 3-0 with Kim Iglupas defeating Sadaf Sadeghvaziri 6-0, 6-0 and Katharina Lehnert ranked 450 in the world winning against Sara Amiri 6-1, 6-4 in the singles, then making it a cleansweep as Iglapas and Anna Clarice Patrimonio brushed aside Amiri and Sadeghvaziri 6-1, 6-4 in the doubles.

Hong Kong got off to a winning 2-1 start against Pacific Oceania despite losing the first singles rubber when Abigail Tere-Apisah beat Hong Kong’s Man Ying Maggie Ng 2-6, 6-1, 7-5.

Zhang Ling ranked 293 restored parity with a 7-5, 6-3 win against Steffi Carruthers in the second singles rubber and then went on to win the match as Chung-Wing Sher and Ling won 6-3, 6-2 against Carruthers and Tere-Apisah in the doubles.

Results: 

Pool B: Indonesia bt Sri Lanka 3-0, Malaysia bt Kyrgyzstan 3-0, Singapore bt Pakistan 2-1.

Today’s schedule: Pool A: Bahrain vs Hong Kong, Pacific Oceania vs Iran.