ITF Futures: Alcaraz beats Sultanbekov

Manama : Top seeded qualifier Aaron Cortes Alcaraz of Spain ranked 1,020 in the world defeated Uzbekistan’s Amal Sultanbekov 6-4, 6-2 to win a place in the main draw and Round of 32 of the men’s singles yesterday in the sixth Bahrain International Tennis Federation (ITF) Futures Men’s Professional Tournament at the Bahrain Tennis Club premises in Juffair.
Second seeded Milos Sekulic from Sweden ranked 1,038 also advanced following a 6-2, 6-1 win over Qatari Zayed Mousa Shanan and third seedAndrew Ruppli of Switzerland was a 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 winner over Egyptian Mohammed Abdul Aziz.
However, fourth seeded Vincent Van Den Honert was ousted after going down 6-3, 6-2 to compatriot Sem Verbeek.
The players from the singles qualifying will next be in action tomorrow, with the top seeds being Tallon Griekspoor (Netherlands, ranked 318), Michal Konecny (Czech Republic, 362), Filip Horansky (Slovakia, 368) and Sanjar Fayziev (Uzbekistan, 380).
Wild card entries have being awarded to three Bahrain players – Abdul Rahman Janahi, Hassan Abdul Janahi and Yousif Qaed.
Today the main action is centered on the Round of 16 doubles action from 2pm with top seeds Sem Verbeek (Netherlands) and Ruben Gonzales (Philippines) facing Bahrain’s Hassan and Kareem Abdul Nabi, second seeds Markus Eriksson and Milos Sekulic from Sweden play Roy Sanit De Valk and Vincent Van Den Honert of The Netherlands and Kevin and Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands taking on Bahraini duo Abdul Rahman Janahi and Yousif Qaed.
The Championship in its sixth edition is being held under the patronage of HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Representative of His Majesty the King for Charity Works and Youth Affairs, Chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports and President of
Bahrain Olympic Committee.