Thrilling and Closely Contested Round of 16 at Bahrain Open Tennis Challenger

Excitement and high-level competition continued in the fifth edition of the Bahrain Open Tennis Challenger with the launch of the Round of 16 matches. The courts of the Police Officers Club hosted a series of intense encounters, marked by fierce rivalry among players working hard for a place in the quarter-finals, amid a notable spectator turnout that further fuelled the tournament’s vibrant atmosphere. 
The fourth day of competition opened with an exciting victory by British player Jacob Fearnley, who overturned a one-set deficit to defeat Slovakia’s Lukas Pokorny in three sets (3–6, 6–4, 6–1), a powerful match marked by shifting momentum.
Argentina’s Thiago Tirante also staged an impressive comeback after losing the opening set to Austria’s Joel Schwaerzler, securing victory (3–6, 6–2, 6–3) after asserting clear control in the decisive set.
In a one-sided encounter, Italian Luca Nardi asserted his dominance over Norway’s Nicolai Kjaer, sealing a swift, straight-sets win (6–3, 6–0) with strong serving and precise baseline play. Italy’s second seed Mattia Bellucci continued his steady progress with a straight-sets victory over Lithuania’s Edas Butvilas (7–5, 6–4).
Frenchman Kyrian Jacquet confirmed his readiness for competition after defeating Germany’s Yannick Hanfmann (7–6, 6–3) in a match characterised by focus and mental composure. In an all-French clash, Ugo Blanchet overcame compatriot Hugo Grenier in straight sets (7–6, 6–4), amid strong engagement from the crowd.
One of the day’s most thrilling matches saw Hong Kong player Coleman Wong face Italy’s Stefano Travaglia in a marathon encounter lasting more than two hours. Travaglia eventually prevailed in three sets (7–6, 3–6, 6–4), in a contest that kept spectators on edge until the final moments.
In the final singles match, and following a highly competitive first set, Finland’s Otto Virtanen defeated Italy’s Stefano Travaglia in straight sets, 7–6, 6–3.
In the doubles competition, the Brazilian–Dutch duo Marcelo Demoliner and Jean-Julien Rojer continued their strong form with a convincing victory over India’s Arjun Kadhe and Poland’s Piotr Matuszewski (6–3, 6–1), before clinching the match tie-break (10–8).
The Indian–Austrian pairing Ram Balaji and Neil Oberleitner recorded a deserved win over Mexico’s Rodrigo Mendez and Argentina’s Thiago Tirante (6–4, 6–3), while the American–Dutch duo Vasil Kirkov and Bart Stevens defeated India’s Saketh Myneni and Siddhant Banthia in straight sets (6–2, 6–2).
In the final doubles match of the day, the Dutch–Monégasque pairing Sander Arends and Romain Arneodo continued their impressive run, comfortably overcoming Poland’s Karol Drzewiecki and Slovakia’s Lukas Pokorny (6–1, 6–0).
On the sidelines of the competition, the tournament featured a cultural and heritage programme that included traditional handicrafts, Arabic hospitality, local cuisine, Arabic calligraphy and henna art, alongside performances by the Police Band and mounted police units, adding a distinctive community and cultural dimension to the championship atmosphere.
The tournament continues tomorrow with the quarter-final matches, amid anticipation of strong encounters and high technical standards as players compete for a place in the semi-finals.