Sports Bulletin ReportISLAMABAD: World Table Tennis (WTT) has officially confirmed that Saudi Arabia will host a WTT Grand Smash from 2024 onwards. The Saudi Smash will take place from May 4 to 11 at the King Abdullah Sports City and becomes the first professional table tennis event to be held in the Kingdom.Elite players from around the world will descend upon the coastal city of Jeddah on the Red Sea to compete in an electrifying event that combines the precision and skill of the world’s best table tennis with the dynamic and entertaining experience of a WTT Grand Smash, the highest tier within the WTT event structure.Under Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia's ongoing social and economic transformation, the country has become a welcoming host for some of the biggest global sports events. Now table tennis, WTT Grand Smash, follows fast in the footsteps of Formula 1, the FIFA Club World Cup, ATP Next Gen Tennis, America’s Cup Sailing Preliminary Regatta and world heavyweight boxing, having all been hosted in Jeddah recently. Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal; Minister of Sport and President of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee, said: "By introducing Saudi Smash, we add a further new international event to our growing list of major championships, that we are honoured to host in Saudi Arabia. More events simply means more opportunities to inspire and engage our young people by giving them the chance to witness the best of the best live in action. I am confident all table tennis players, officials and fans will enjoy a truly world-class experience, which will undoubtedly grow the game to new heights in the Kingdom for years to come."The world’s best stars will compete for a prize pool of USD2,000,000, the largest ever seen at an officially sanctioned table tennis event. The Saudi Smash, like all WTT events, offers equal prize money, and the men’s and women’s singles champions will each walk away with a winner’s cheque of USD65,000 and receive 2000 ITTF Table Tennis World Rankings Points.The Saudi Smash will take place from 4 to 11 May 2024 and consists of a 64-player Men’s and Women’s Singles main draw and 24-pair main draws for Men’s, Women’s and Mixed Doubles. From 1 to 3 May, a 64-player singles qualifying will determine the 8 players who advance to the respective singles main draw competitions. Wildcard places in each of the draws will ensure that players and pairs from Saudi Arabia will be able to compete against the world’s best, develop their talent and thrill family and fans. Steve Dainton, WTT Chief Executive Officer said: "We are thrilled to host the first-ever Saudi Smash in Jeddah. Grand Smashes are WTT’s most prestigious events, and represents a significant milestone for table tennis in Saudi Arabia. We are excited to showcase the talent and excitement of our stars, and Jeddah's dynamic energy and passion for sports make it an ideal host city.”Since 2018, Saudi Arabia has staged over 100 international events for both male and female athletes including football, motorsports, tennis, equestrian, esports and golf, attended by over 2.6 million sports fans. The Kingdom is now considered one of the fastest growing countries in world sport, with sporting activity becoming an increasingly important part of daily life, especially for the Kingdom’s 20 million people aged under 30 years old.“The Saudi Table Tennis Federation is proud to announce that Jeddah has been chosen as the host city for the inaugural Saudi Smash. This is a ground-breaking event that promises to elevate the sport to new heights in the Kingdom and inspire future generations of Saudi table tennis players. We are excited to be partnering with WTT to deliver one of their marquee events and look forward to showcasing Jeddah and Saudi Arabia to the world” said Dr. Abdullah Hashim AL-BAR, President, Saudi Table Tennis Federation.Since Vision 2030 was launched in 2015, Saudi Arabia has tripled the number of official sports federations from 32 to 97 federations. Everything from kite surfing, to boxing, from beach volleyball to padel. And as a result, sports participation in the Kingdom has also tripled with more people playing more sports than ever before as part of a fitter, healthier country, with life expectancy increasing from 74 to 78 years old. “As a Federation, we want to both host and compete at the highest level, so we need to drive participation and hosting major events to showcase the sport is a critical aspect of our plans. We currently have 10 men’s singles and 5 doubles pairs in the world rankings. For some of these players to potentially play in a ‘home’ event against the world’s very best means everything to us. It’s the catalyst we need at this stage in our development. “There are 3.6million table tennis fans already in the Kingdom, of which 45% are female. At youth level we’ve got good emerging talent coming through. When you consider this, and the fact that the sport is playable all year round and requires limited infrastructure, we really have all the ingredients to grow the sport and get more Saudis playing. I’ve no doubt the Saudi Smash will accelerate our journey and help our sport grow even further.” added Dr. AL-BAR.The Saudi Smash will be a celebration of sporting excellence but also a testament to Saudi Arabia's commitment to bringing world-class sporting events to the Kingdom and promoting healthy lifestyles for all Saudis. The event aims to inspire the next generation of table tennis enthusiasts and contribute to the growth of the sport in the region. With up to four WTT Grand Smashes a year planned for the WTT calendar, Saudi Arabia joins Singapore as the second WTT Grand Smash host in 2024. "As WTT Board Chair I extend my heartfelt congratulations to Saudi Arabia for pioneering the Saudi Smash, a pivotal addition to the global World Table Tennis calendar. This initiative underscores the Kingdom's dedication to advancing the sport's reach and competitiveness. As the world eagerly anticipates the inaugural Saudi Smash, we anticipate an electrifying showcase of talent and athleticism that will resonate across continents, further propelling table tennis into a new era of prominence and excitement" said LIU Guoliang, WTT Board Chair.Grand Smashes have their own branding to celebrate and showcase their host. The Saudi Smash logo, reflecting the green of the Kingdom’s flag, depicts iconic skyline imagery from across Saudi Arabia. This logo embodies the combined desire of WTT and Saudi Table Tennis Federation to make the Saudi Smash an event for all the Kingdom.In addition to the Saudi Smash, the world’s best youth players will also head to Riyadh from 23-26 September to take part in WTT Youth Contender Riyadh, the first ever WTT Youth Series event to be held in Saudi Arabia. WTT Youth Contender events attract players from around the world competing in age groups from U11 through to U19 and establish the pathway for players to move through the WTT event pyramid and ITTF Table Tennis World Rankings. The long term hosting of the Saudi Smash in Jeddah and WTT Youth Contender Riyadh underpins the WTT and Saudi Table Tennis Federation commitment to deliver the sport’s Day One to World Number One events and playing pathway.

Sports Bulletin ReportBusan (Korea): It's Day 3 of the ITTF World Team Championships 2024 and the action is just getting started! Stay ahead of the thrilling moments happening today in Busan. We'll bring you the key moments, and exhilarating games as they unfold.In an epic showdown lasting 3 hours, the men’s teams of Team England and Team USA engaged in a fierce battle. Despite England’s resilient comeback from a 2-0 deficit, the deciding match saw the Americans emerge victorious. Nikhil Kumar clinched the win for USA, overcoming Paul Drinkhall in a thrilling encounter, ultimately securing a hard-fought triumph.Sweden beat Hong Kong, China: In a captivating Men’s Teams Group 6 clash, Team Sweden and Team Hong Kong, China delivered an exhilarating 5-set thriller. With both teams trading game victories, the tension mounted until the final match, where Anton Kallberg secured the win for Sweden against Lam Siu Hang, sealing a dramatic victory.Shin Yubin Falls, but Team Korea Prevails: Adriana Diaz celebrates her win over Shin Yubin, but it wasn’t enough for Puerto Rico to overcome the host team. Despite Adriana Diaz’s commanding win over Shin Yubin, Team Puerto Rico faced defeat at the hands of the host team, Korea Republic, with a final score of 3-1. The Koreans ultimately proved too strong for Puerto Rico, who now set their sights on their upcoming match against Malaysia, aiming for their first win of the tournament. Meanwhile, Korea Republic continues their impressive start, maintaining their momentum in the competition.Giulia Seals Win After Epic Comeback by the Brazilians: In a gripping display of resilience, Team Brazil’s Women refused to concede defeat despite trailing 2-0 to Team Luxembourg. Bruna Alexandre sparked the comeback with a commanding 3-1 win. The Takahashi sisters, Bruna and Giulia, delivered valiant performances, each securing hard-fought 3-2 victories. It was a close-fought contest that encapsulated the excitement of the ITTF World Championships.Team Madagascar Surprises with 3-1 Victory Over Nigeria: Fabio Rakotoarimanana put on a stellar display to give Madagascar a special win here in Busan. Day 3 of the competition brings early excitement as Team Nigeria faces challenges. With Quadri Aruna’s absence, their misfortunes continue as Team Madagascar delivers a stunning upset with a 3-1 win. Madagascar’s Fabio A Rakotoarimanan clinches the victory with a commanding 3-0 win over Olajide Omotayo, securing a remarkable result.

Pakistani players to participate in the Davis Cup Juniors, and Billie Jean King CupSports Bulletin ReportISLAMABAD: The two Pakistani tennis teams for Davis Cup Juniors, and Billie Jean King Cup Juniors reached Colombo, the capital city of Sri Lanka and they held a practice session on the clay courts., as the event will be played from February 19 to 24, 2024.According to an official of the Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF), Pakistan boys and girls are well-prepared for international junior tennis events. The Davis Cup will get underway from February 19 (Monday).Davis Cup Juniors: Aqeel Khan (coach), Hamza Roman, Mikaeel Shahbaz Ali Baig, Abubakar TalhaBillie Jean King Cup: Sara Mansoor (coach), Amna Ali Qayum, Soha Ali, Zunaisha Noor 

Sports Bulletin ReportISLAMABAD: An outstanding performance from a young side gave the Belgium men their first points of the season after a massive 4-3 win over Argentina in Santiago del Estero. On the women’s side the Leonas put two second-half goals past Belgium to secure their third win of this mini-tournament.On the penultimate day of action in the women’s mini-tournament in Rourkela, hosts India pulled off a massive win against the Hockeyroos, beating them 1-0. Earlier in the day, the United States put in a mammoth effort against China but could not prevent the Chinese from walking away 2-0 winners.(Women’s) China beat USA (2-0):Jiao Ye celebrated her 100th match for China in a hard-fought 2-0 win over a gallant United States. The match was fairly evenly contested, the Chinese having a slight upper hand in the first half as the Americans struggled to deal with their high press. Zixia Ou put China ahead with an eighth-minute drag flick, and Jiaqi Zhong turned away from her marker for a good field goal in the 19th. The USA had some chances, but they couldn’t find the net and China led 2-0 at half-time.The Americans gained the ascendancy in the second half despite playing most of the third quarter with 10 players. Sanne Caarls nearly grabbed a goal for the USA in that period, demanding a good save from Xinhuan Li after completely unravelling the Chinese defence. The Americans ran rampant in the final 20 minutes and had the Chinese circle under constant siege in the final five, but they simply couldn’t find the net and were left to rue missed opportunities.(Women’s) India beat Australia (1-0):Hosts India gave their fans plenty to cheer about with an historic 1-0 win, their first ever against Australia on Indian soil. The match was an end-to-end spectacle played at a blistering pace throughout, with both teams playing very direct hockey. The defensive units were tested repeatedly, but goalkeepers Zoe Newman for Australia and Savita for India were up to the task in a goalless first half. The Hockeyroos missed arguably the best chance of the half with a penalty corner against four Indian defenders in the 20th minute.The Indians dominated an intensive second half, executing an effective press and using their pace advantage on the break. They took the lead in the 34th minute when Katariya Vandana dived for the deflection off a penalty corner variation, sending the already vocal crowd into a frenzy. India continued to look dangerous on attack but with just a one-goal cushion, the match was set for a tense finish. While they were struggling to stay alive in the match, the Hockeyroos refused to concede, and they had the home fans on the edge of their seats with a flurry of opportunities and video referrals in the dying minutes. India somehow kept everything out and managed to hang on for their well-deserved, historic win.(Men’s) Belgium beat Argentina (4-3):A young Belgian side delivered a resilient performance to knock off the Argentina giants with a 4-3 scoreline. It was a fiery opening half as the mostly debutante-filled Belgian side went up 2-0 and owned the majority of the opening half chances. The opener game from a penalty stroke called after Thoams Crols’ flick hit Facundo Zarate on the Argentine goal line. Tommy Willems buried from the spot to give Belgium the lead and some momentum. The Red Lions drew blood again in the second quarter, this time from Roman Duvekot who cleverly turned and blasted in close for a 2-0 Belgium lead. Belgium’s Guillaume Hellin was sent to the sin bin for a 10-minute yellow card to give Argentina and at the death of the second quarter Tomas Domene put away a penalty corner flick to cut Belgium’s lead, 2-1. Back to full strength, Belgium continued to find ways to create chances. A baseline attack through Hellin had a pass booked for Thibeau Stockbroekx. Nicolas della Torre put an unfortunate touch past his own keeper for an own goal and for Belgium to celebrate a 3-1 lead. The Red Lions delivered a stunner at the start of the fourth as a good team build up allowed Willems to feed Thibeau Stockbroekx, who finished on his reverse with a beautiful flip over Nehuen Hernando for a fourth Belgian goal. Argentina wasted no time finding a response as Maico Casella’s one-timer blasted through Simon Vandenbrouke to halve Belgium’s lead once more. Domene got his second of the game on a penalty corner flick that rippled the mesh with two minutes left in the game. Belgium did well to manage the frenetic final moments and hang on to a big win for the youthful side. (Women’s) Argentina beat Belgium (2-0):A scoreless opening half was to the delight of a young Belgian side as Argentina were creating lots of attack but not the quality in the circle. In the second quarter Maria Granatto found a charging Celina di Santo on the opposite of the pitch and with just Elena Sotgiu’s pads to beat, di Santo floated the ball towards goal but it pinged off the crossbar. Chances continued to come for the Leonas but they continued to struggle for the quality.Argentina turned up the heat as Granatto had two chances that flew just over the bar before Agustina Gorzelany provided the relief, burying a penalty stroke for the 1-0 lead. Early in the fourth quarter Belgium did find themselves with a penalty corner but the execution wasn’t there. Argentina had a nifty penalty corner routine that freed up Gorzelany with a close-range flick and Sotgiu made a world-class stick save. Seconds after the save, a bit of chaos gave space for Sofia Toccalino to blast one in and double Argentina’s lead. Admirably, Belgium held the Leonas to just the two goals from Argentina’s 23 shots and over 60 per cent possession.

Shadab Khan (74 not out), Salman Ali Agha (64 not out) supermen of the gameSports Bulletin ReportLAHORE: Islamabad United (IU) surprised Lahore Qalandars by 8 wickets in the opening match of the HBL PSL Season 9 here at Qaddafi Cricket Stadium on Sunday night. Shadab Khan (74 not out), and Salman Ali Agha (64 not out, 31b, 7x4s, 3x6s) were the supermen of the game.In pursuit of 196 run target, United got off to a confident start, scoring 50 runs in the powerplay while only losing Colin Munro (5, 11b, 1x4) in the process. In the next over, skipper Shadab, coming in to bat at number three, welcomed Haris Rauf with two boundaries keeping the run flow intact.Requiring 44 off five overs, the 16th over went for 12 runs, while the next over went for 14 runs, with Shadab smashing Haris for two maximums in the over. The 18th over bowled by captain Shaheen Shah Afridi was another expensive over for the home side, as United batter Salman dispatched the left-arm pacer for a four and a six and collected 15 runs in the over.With three runs required off the final two overs, Shadab finished off the game with a six over long-on as United won the game with 10 balls to spare. Shadab returned undefeated on 74 off 41 balls, laced with six fours and five sixes, while Salman scored 64 not out off 31 balls, hitting seven fours and three sixes.Earlier, after being put into bat first, Qalandars got off to a brisk start with the opening pair of Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman adding 66 runs in the powerplay. The partnership was broken by Shadab, who took the prized scalp of Fakhar (13, 13b, 1x4) in the seventh over with 67 runs on the board for the home side.Right-hand batter Sahibzada Farhan was joined by Rassie van der Dussen and the pair could add only 22 runs to the total before Sahibzada (57, 36b, 8x4s, 1x6) fell to left-arm pacer Tymal Mills in the 11th over. Abdullah Shafique came into bat at number four and struck three towering sixes during his stay on the crease accumulating 28 off 22 balls.That the Qalandars were able to post 195 for five in their 20 overs was largely due to van der Dussen’s unbeaten knock of 71 off 41 balls, which included four fours and three sixes. The South African batter, who had featured for United in the last edition of HBL PSL, brought up his maiden HBL PSL half-century in today’s game off just 31 balls.For United, Naseem Shah, who returned to competitive cricket after a gap of almost six months, returned with figures of 4-0-36-1. Leg-spinner Shadab, also returning from injury, gave away 24 runs bagging a solitary wicket in his quota of four overs. Mills was the most successful bowler for United, bagging two wickets for 45 runs in four overs.dars 195-5, 20 overs, (Rassie van der Dussen 71 not out, Sahibzada Farhan 57, Abdullah Shafique 28; Tymal Mills 2-45, Shadab Khan 1-24)Today’s Fixtures:Quetta Gladiators v Peshawar Zalmi, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore (2pm)Multan Sultans v Karachi Kings, Multan Cricket Stadium (7pm)

Sports Bulletin ReportLAHORE: The OHC Bully Hockey Club, Netherlands is due to arrive in Lahore on February 18 (Sunday) to play three friendly games in Lahore and Islamabad during a week-long visit aiming to make efforts to restore the prestige of the national sport.The Oldenzaal Hockey Club (OHC) “Bully”, commonly known as OHC Bully will visit Pakistan on an invitation of Khawaja Junaid Hockey Academy (KJHA) and will play three games in all with two at the historic National Hockey Stadium, Lahore, and one at the Naseer Bunda Stadium, Islamabad. The Bully hockey club will play games against Higher Education Commission (HEC) hockey team picked from the Prime Minister’s Youth Talent Hunt Program.The OHC Bully’s visit is historic in the sense that it is after a long interval of 22 years that a European hockey club will visit Pakistan and the Bully’s visit is one of the small steps towards the goal of revival of hockey. The visit may also encourage other European hockey clubs to visit Pakistan every year during the winters.Former Olympian Khawaja Junaid said that he was thankful to the OHC Bully for accepting the invitation to visit Pakistan for friendlies, adding that Khawaja Junaid Hockey club was committed to revive of hockey by nurturing talent at the grass-root level.Khawaja Junaid further said that he was not only grooming the raw hockey talent through coaching from the tender age of seven years, adding that the HEC team was picked was selected by him after trials of 25000 budding players under the Youth Talent Hunt Program.Acknowledged the role of former hockey Olympian Fareed Ahmed, who happens to be the coach of OHC Bully, in arranging the visit to Pakistan, he said “I am also connecting with the outside world to provide the right exposure to these young lads at an early age.” He said this will be a discovery visit for the youth being foreign to Pakistan’s rich hockey traditions and hospitality, expressing the hope that Pakistan will become an annual rendezvous for the European clubs and teams.The former World Champion Khawaja Junaid further said field hockey comes to a standstill during the harsh winters in Europe and European clubs visit the nearby countries like Spain to play hockey, adding that it is the time when the European teams may be invited to make Pakistan their destination as the country boasts of a mild weather during this period.Responding to a query, he said visit of a European hockey club will also help in promoting country’s tourism through sports, adding that this is also a good opportunity for showcase cultural heritage and historical ancestry to the world. Khawaja Junaid also shared that OHC Bully is almost a century-old club which was founded in 1935.Khawaja Junaid thanked Inspector General of Police (IGP) Punjab Dr. Usman Anwar and Chairman Higher Education Commission (HEC) Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed for their support in making this visit of a European hockey club possible. 

Sports Bulletin ReportISLAMABAD: In Santiago del Estero, a fourth-quarter showdown allowed Argentina to draw level, 1-1, with Germany and go on to take the shootout, 3-1, for the added bonus point. Maico Casella provided the heroics in both cases, scoring a penalty stroke with 43 seconds in the game and the final shootout to seal the extra point. On the women’s side field goals from Maria Campoy and Eugenia Trinchinetti plus a flick from Agustina Gorzelany propelled the Leonas 3-1 over the visiting Germany Die Danas.Earlier in the day, the men’s mini-tournament in Bhubaneswar wrapped up with two contrasting contests – one a nine-goal thriller, and the other a tense encounter with just one goal in it.In the first match of the day, Australia’s men closed a three-goal deficit and then overtook the Dutch for a memorable 5-4 victory. In the other match, a brave performance from newcomers Ireland saw them keep out a determined Indian team until the last minute when Gurjant Singh’s solitary goal gave an elated home crowd plenty to celebrate. (Men’s) Australia beat Netherlands (5-4): Australia came from three goals down to edge the Netherlands 5-4 in an enthralling encounter. Early on it looked like Jip Janssen’s 100th and Koen Bijen’s 50th appearances for the Dutch would be memorable ones as they controlled the first half, taking their opportunities and frustrating the Australians. Duco Telgenkamp screamed in a reverse stick shot from an acute angle in the sixth minute, and Bijen got on the end of a knee-high cross to deflect home in the 12th. Australia then lost Daniel Beale for 10 minutes after an accidental stick to the head of Teun Beins was deemed dangerous, but they only conceded one goal during this period, Koen rounding off skilful team play with a simple tap-in after 20 minutes.The Kookaburras trailed 0-3 at half-time but staged another incredible comeback. Blake Glovers cleaned up the scraps off the goalkeeper’s pads in the 33rd minute after a patient build-up, and Jeremy Hayward’s 40th-minute drag flick gave Pirmin Blaak no chance of a save as it stripped the paint off the inside of the post. The fourth quarter was an electrifying affair, Hayward’s drag flick levelling the scores in the 48th minute before Glover put the Australians ahead with a rocketed drag flick in the 53rd minute. Jip Janssen then equalised for the Dutch three minutes later off a penalty stroke, but Tim Brand had the last word for the Kookaburras with a well-worked tap-in with less than 30 seconds remaining to wrap up an impressive victory.(Men’s) India beat Ireland (1-0): Hosts India’s experience made all the difference as they squeaked home in the last minute with a 1-0 win over Ireland. The Irish controlled the tempo for long periods of the match, holding possession well and declining to force their way up the pitch when safe passes were available. By contrast, India looked extremely dangerous going forward and had the best opportunities of the first half. Lee Cole made an excellent save off his feet on the left post from an early Indian penalty corner, and Jamie Carr was outstanding in goal to keep the scores locked at 0-0 at half-time.India seemed to be gaining the upper hand through the third quarter and a goal seemed inevitable, but Carr and the Irish defence kept them out. Ireland continued to frustrate India with their patience in possession, and Indian fans were made to sweat through a tense final quarter as both teams enjoyed real goal-scoring opportunities. India missed a golden chance from a penalty corner against just four defenders in the 51st minute, and Ireland broke out from that to win a penalty corner at the other end. (Men’s) Argentina beat Germany 1 - 1 (3 -1 SO): A goal with 43 seconds left in the game and a shootout finish from Maico Casella gave Argentina the bonus point after a 1-1 draw with Germany in Santiago del Estero. The first half was largely a showcase of a structured German team with an early chance for Niklas Wellen saved by keeper Tomas Santiago. Argentina’s patience on attack finally caught Germany on their heels and kept Alexander Stadler busy in goal. A Tomas Domene penalty corner flick was run down by a brave German defence line, while Casella had a drag flick fly just over the bar. A scoreless opening three quarters set the stage for a dramatic final frame that included open chances for both Lucas Martinez and Domene but both could only find the outside of the cage. A short-range aerial was expertly controlled by Raphael Hartkopf in the Argentine circle and blasted across the face of goal where Malte Hellwig brilliantly deflected in for a 1-0 Germany lead. In the final minute of the game, with 11 field players, the Leones were awarded a penalty stroke and Casella drew the game level. Nicolas Keenan and Mats Grambusch each scored for their sides, while a re-award for Lucas Toscani allowed Argentina to double their shootout lead. A miss from Johannes Große set up Casella to seal the deal. Casella made no mistake, calm and cool, to sweep the ball in on the reverse and take the bonus point and shootout, 3-1, for Argentina. (Women’s) Argentina beat Germany (3-1): Germany came out of the gate with early pressure as Charlotte Stapenhorst blasted a shot just wide of the Argentine goal. The Leonas responded later in the half with a clear take at goal through Maria Granatto but it was bravely blocked by a fully-stretched Selin Oruz. For Germany, Lisa Nolte was the beneficiary of a quick free hit but her reverse-stick blast was deflected over the Argentine net. Finally, the creative Argentine offense found a way, as a no-mercy-blast from Agustina Albertarrio found Maria Campoy at the back post for the game’s opener. From there, Argentina had a series of penalty corners but Nathalie Kubalski was up to the task to deny Valentina Raposo and Agustina Gorzelany. A second goal came on free play as Eugenia Trinchinetti had a nifty deflection on a bouncing free hit from Agostina Alonso. A trio of German penalty corners finally broke the Leonas as Nike Lorenz’s strike beat Clara Barberi to deny a shutout. Germany pressed for a second equaliser, pulling Kubalski with four minutes to go. Die Dans were then forced to defend a penalty corner with five field players and Gorzelany made no mistake burying a flick to make it 3-1.

Sports Bulletin ReportISLAMABAD: Kiagaoge Kang from China outplayed Hamza Roman from Pakistan in straight sets 2-0 in the Boys’ Singles final of the ITF Pakistan Khawar Hyat Khan Memorial World Junior Championship Leg-1 that concluded at the PTF-SDA Tennis Complex Islamabad on Saturday. The final score-line was 6-4, 6-4.In the Girl's Singles final, Kira Kalinouskaya (BLR) outclassed her compatriot Katsiaryna Dubik (BLR) 2-0 at 6-1, and 6-3 and won the Leg-1 Championships.Nageen Hyat w/o Khawar Hyat Khan, and their children Daniyal Hyat Khan, and Sadia Hyat Khan were the chief guests at the closing ceremony. Senator Salim Saifullah Khan and Iftikhar Rashid were the guests of hounor. The closing ceremony was also attended Mansoor Ahmmad Khan Deputy Director, Pakistan Sports Board (PSB), and the large number of players, coaches, parents, media persons, and tennis lovers.Results (Finals): Boys’ Singles: Kiagaoge Kang (CHN) beat Hamza Roman (PAK) 6-4, 6-4Girls’ Singles: Kira Kalinouskaya (BLR) beat Katsiaryna Dubik (BLR) 6-1, 6-3Boys’ Doubles: Dong Hyeon Euom (KOR) / Jiwan Park (KOR) beat Bilal Asim / Ahmed Nael Qureshi (PAK) 6-4, 6-4Girls’ Doubles: Gyuree Nam (KOR) / Chaewon Whang (KOR) beat Paramee Takaew (THA) / Jungke Yan (CHN) 6-0, 6-0.

Sports Bulletin ReportISLAMABAD: Pakistani martial art athlete, Hamza Saeed has grabbed the gold medal in the 33rd Fajr Open Taekwondo Championship after defeating Mohammad Ibrahim Hosseini from Iran by 9-1 and 14-3 in the final of the +87 kg category in Tehran, the capital of Iran.According to an official of Pakistan Taekwondo Federation (PTF), in the semifinals Hamza Saeed eliminated local player Amir Mohammad and Parham Khowari in the quarter-final. In the -54 category final, Pakistan's Shahzeb Khan was defeated by an Iranian player. In the second round of the final, the referee disqualified Shahzeb. Shahzeb won the silver medal. On this occasion, Hamza Saeed said it was a great honour for me to win the gold medal for Pakistan and be named the best player of the championship. Renowned athletes from all over the world participated in the Fajr Open, Hamza Saeed said, adding, that our head coach Yusuf Karami gave the best training to all the athletes in preparation for the event.

Sports Bulletin ReportISLAMABAD: Local player, Hamza Roman and Kiagaoge Kang from neighbor country China set their clash in the final of the ITF Pakistan Khawar Hyat Khan Memorial World Junior Championship Leg-1 after thrashing their challengers in Boys’ Singles semifinal here at PTF-SDA Tennis Complex on Friday. All finals will be played on Saturday (February 17, 2024) at the same venue.In the first semifinal, Hamza Roman ousted second seed player Dong Hyeon from Korea in straight sets with the score-line of 6-4, and 6-2. Local guy displayed to quality tennis to secure his berth in the championship match. Meanwhile in the second semifinal, Kiagaoge Kang from China toiled hard on the court to get-rid-off Ahmad Nael Qureshi from Pakistan after a well-contested three sets match. The final score-line was 6-4, 3-6, and 6-2.Results (Semifinals):Boys’ Singles: Hamza Roman (PAK) beat Dong Hyeon (KOR) 6-4, 6-2Kiagaoge Kang (CHN) beat Ahmad Nael Qureshi (PAK) 6-4, 3-6, 6-2Girls’ Singles: Katsiaryna Dubik (BLR) beat Deniz Cakil (TUR) 5-7, 6-4, 6-1Kira Kalinouskaya (BLR) beat Stefaniya Neporent (BLR) 6-2, 3-0 (retd)Boys’ Doubles: Bilal Asim / Ahmed Nael Qureshi (PAK) beat Jun Hyeok An (KOR) / Ye Chan Choi (KOR) 6-2, 6-3Dong Hyeon Euom (KOR) / Jiwan Park (KOR) beat Howard Chan (HKG) / Xiuyuan Guo (CHN) 6-2, 6-3Schedule of finals (Saturday):Boys’ Singles: 10:00 amBoys’ Doubles: 10:00 amGirls’ Doubles: 10:00 amGirls Singles: 1:30 pm.