Qatar players and officials celebrate after qualifying for the final.
Doha: Qatar booked their place in the men’s final of the FIP Asia Padel Cup after a commanding 2-0 victory over Iran in the semi-final yesterday. The hosts will take on the UAE, who beat Australia in a thrilling semi-final, in today’s title clash at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex.
In yesterday’s last-eight clash, Mohammed Al Khanji and Rashed Al Ajufairi gave Qatar the start they were looking for. Despite a strong challenge posed by Amir Mohamad Jamshidi and Sajad Zareian Jahromi in a marathon clash that lasted just over two hours, Al Khanji and Al Ajufairi prevailed with a score of 7-5, 7-6.
In the second match, brothers Rashed Naif and Mashari Naif overcame Farsad Shahi and Arya Roghani 6-4, 6-4 to seal the tie and send Qatar through to the final.
The third rubber between Hami Golestan and Arsham Moradi Nejad Marian of Iran and Mohammed Saadon Alkuwari and Hassan Adel Waly of Qatar was not played as the hosts had already secured victory.
Unlike the hosts, UAE had to dig deep to book their place in the final.
After the pair of Mohammad Al Janahi and Abdullah Alabdulla were beaten 4-6, 6-7 by Australia’s Vuk Velickovic and Jake Benzal, UAE fought back to secure the 2-1 victory.
Ignacio Vilarino Gestoso and Majed Al Janahi levelled the tie with a commanding 6-3, 6-1 win over Emeric Navarro and Timothy Brown. Enrique Goenaga and Fares Al Janahi then handled the pressure well, defeating Marious Zelba and Dominic Bechard 6-4, 7-5 to clinch the tie for the UAE.
Meanwhile, Iran and Japan will face each other for the maiden FIP Asia Women’s Padel Cup. After losing the opener, Japan’s Kana Ozawa and Saki Tsukamoto equalised with a dominant 6-1, 6-3 win, before Kana Tokumoto and Yui Kushima completed the job 6-2, 6-3.
Iran, on the other hand, needed only the first two matches to overcome Indonesia as victories from Najafi Dehaghi-Hana and Zahrizi-Fard earned Iran a spot in the final.
