Fierce Competition at Bahrain Open Tennis Challenger

The fifth edition of the Bahrain Open Tennis Challenger, held at the courts of the Police Officers Club, continued to deliver thrilling action, as strong encounters unfolded in the singles quarter-finals and doubles semi-finals. The matches were played amid an enthusiastic crowd presence that added to the excitement, with players displaying closely matched technical standards.

In the singles competition, Italy’s Mattia Bellucci defeated Argentina’s Thiago Agustin Tirante in straight sets (6–4, 6–4) in a fast-paced and competitive match that was decided in one hour and thirty minutes.

In another exciting encounter that captured the attention of spectators, French player Kyrian Jacquet overcame Britain’s Jacob Fearnley in three sets (7–6, 1–6, 6–3). Jacquet produced a balanced performance and showed clear consistency from the baseline to secure his place in the semi-finals.

Finland’s Otto Virtanen also advanced to the semi-finals after defeating Italy’s Stefano Travaglia in straight sets (6–4, 7–5) in a closely contested and entertaining match, which Virtanen settled through powerful serving and fast, deep groundstrokes.

In the final singles quarter-final, Italian Luca Nardi completed the semi-final lineup after beating France’s Ugo Blanchet in straight sets (6–4, 6–4). Nardi dominated much of the match and progressed confidently to the last four.

In the doubles competition, the Indian–Austrian pairing of N. Sriram Balaji and Neil Oberleitner booked their place in the final after a hard-fought victory over the Dutch–Monégasque duo Sander Arends and Romain Arneodo, winning in straight sets (7–5, 7–5).

Meanwhile, the American–Dutch duo Vasil Kirkov and Bart Stevens secured their spot in the doubles final with a deserved straight-sets win over Brazil’s Marcelo Demoliner and the Netherlands’ Jean-Julien Rojer (6–2, 6–4), bringing the Brazilian–Dutch pair’s run in the tournament to an end.

On the sidelines of the tournament, theChairman of the Standing Tennis Committee, Shaikh Khalid bin Rashid Al Khalifa, met with the French Ambassador to the Kingdom of Bahrain, Eric Giraud-Telme, during which they reviewed the course of the tournament and the accompanying organisational arrangements.

During the meeting, the Ambassador praised the high organisational and technical standards of the tournament and its distinguished participation by a select group of internationally ranked tennis players. He commended the significant efforts invested in staging this international sporting event, affirming that what he witnessed reflects the advanced position achieved by the Kingdom of Bahrain in hosting major international sports championships.

The event reaches its climax on Saturday, with attention turning to the doubles final between Vasil Kirkov and Bart Stevens and N. Sriram Balaji and Neil Oberleitner, in a highly anticipated clash expected to deliver intense competition. The same day will also feature the singles semi-final matches, which will determine the finalists amid high technical standards that reflect the strength and competitiveness of the tournament’s fifth edition.