Wednesday 30 / October / 2024
Muscat: Overcoming another big challenge in the form of United Arab Emirates (UAE), Oman topped Pool A after a hard-fought 2-1 victory in 2018 Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Group IV competition at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex on Friday.
As Pool A toppers, Oman will now play Pool B runners-up Guam in Saturday’s play-offs.
Guam defeated Tajikistan 3-0 to finished second behind Pool B toppers Singapore, who blanked Bahrain 3-0 on Friday. Singapore are scheduled to take on the UAE in the other play-off.
The winners of play-off ties will gain promotion to Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Group III in 2019.
Against UAE, our star Mohammed Al Nabhani faced some challenge from Abdulrahman Al Janahi but managed to win the first singles rubber in straight sets 7-5, 7-5.
In the second singles, Abdullah Al Barwani was defeated by Fahad Janahi 6-4, 6-1.
In the doubles rubber also, Mohammed Al Nabhani and Abdullah Al Barwani faced some challenge from Abdulrahman Al Janahi and Fares Al Janahi before scoring a 7-5, 1-6, 6-3.
A delighed Oman team’s non-playing captain Siddique Al Hashimi said: “Today was another tough day for us after yesterday’s tough tie against Myanmar. Mohammed gave us good start winning the first rubber. Though Abdullah lost the second, both Mohammed and Abdullah played well in the deciding doubles to give us the victory.”
“Obviously we are very thrilled with this victory. We are unbeaten in the group stage. We hope to continue the same in the play-off tomorrow.”
“The play-off tie against Guam is not going to be easy. They have played well in Pool B and lost only to Singapore and Bahrain. So we have to give our best to beat them and get the promotion.”
In Pool B, Singapore remained unbeaten after defeating Bahrain 3-0 on Friday.
In the first singles, Roy Hobbs defeated Elyas Abdulnabi 7-6 (2), 6-4 and then Shaheed Alam then made it 2-0 defeating Ali Dawani 6-3, 6-4.
In the doubles rubber, Shaheed Alam and Roy Alam defeated Hasan Abdulnabi and Ali Dawani 6-2, 7-6 (7).
Guam finished second in Pool B after defeating Tajikistan 3-0. They won all their rubbers with 6-0, 6-0 scoreline with Mason Caldwell defeating Shakhrom Umarov 6-0, 6-0 and Jean Pierre Huynh defeating Firdavs Odinaev 6-0, 6-0 in the singles. In the doubles, Mason Caldwell and Jean Pierre Huynh defeated Azamat Mukhudinov and Shakhrom Umarov.
Pool A results
Iraq bt Kyrgyzstan 3-0.
Akram Abdalkarem Al Saady bt Kirill Kistanov 6-1, 6-3.
Ali Khairi Hashim Al Mayahi bt Evgeniy Babak 6-3, 6-4.
Akram Abdalkarem Al Saady/Adel Mustafa Al Saedi bt Evgeniy Babak/Georgy Kotlyarevsky 6-2, 7-5.
Myanmar bt Bangladesh 2-1.
Aung Kyaw Naing bt Mohammad Rana 6-0, 7-5.
Tin Myo Wai bt Dipu Lal 7-6 (4), 6-2.
Zaw San Oo/Aung Myo Thant lost to Ranjan Ram/Sree-Amol Roy 2-6, 2-6.
Oman bt UAE 2-1.
Mohammed Al Nabhani bt Abdulrahman Al Janahi 7-5, 7-5.
Adbullah Al Barwani lost to Fahad Janahi 1-6, 4-6.
Mohammed Al Nabhani/Adbullah Al Barwani bt Abdulrahman Al Janahi/Fares Al Janahi 7-5, 1-6, 6-3.
Pool B results
Singapore bt Bahrain 3-0.
Roy Hobbs bt Elyas Abdulnabi 7-6 (2), 6-4.
Shaheed Alam bt Ali Dawani 6-3, 6-4.
Shaheed Alam/Roy Alam bt Hasan Abdulnabi/Ali Dawani 6-2, 7-6 (7).
Guam bt Tajikistan 3-0.
Mason Caldwell bt Shakhrom Umarov 6-0, 6-0.
Jean Pierre Huynh bt Firdavs Odinaev 6-0, 6-0.
Mason Caldwell/Jean Pierre Huynh bt Azamat Mukhudinov/Shakhrom Umarov 6-0, 6-0.
Mongolia bt Turkmenistan 2-1.
Munkhbaatar Badrakh bt Hadzhymyrat Charyyev 6-4, 6-1.
Tamir Ankhbayar bt Yuriy Roguskiy 4-6, 2-6.
Munkhbaatar Badrakh/Baatar Oyunbat bt Atlymyrat Gurbanov/Yuriy Roguskiy 6-3, 4-6, 7-5.
Friday’s schedule
1st to 4th play-off
Oman vs Guam
Singapore vs UAE
5th to 6th play-off
Iraq vs Bahrain
7th to 8th play-off
Myanmar vs Mongolia
9th to 10th play-off
Bangladesh vs Turkmenistan
11th to 12th play-off
Kyrgyzstan vs Tajikistan.
