Bangladesh’s Zarif Abbar wins ITF world tennis juniors
Bangladesh's Zarif Abbar has reached a new milestone in the nation's tennis history, becoming the first Bangladeshi to win the ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors (J-30) Under-18 Boys' Singles title.
In the final, held on Friday at the Rajshahi Tennis Complex, the 18-year-old defeated top seed Napat Pattanalertfan of Thailand 7–6 (3), 6–4 to claim the championship and make headlines in the tennis community.
The week-long tournament featured 58 players from 10 countries, including Australia, China, India, Japan, Korea, the Maldives, Singapore, Thailand, the USA and Bangladesh. Zarif's triumph, unexpected even by the Bangladesh Tennis Federation, earned him 30 ITF ranking points, significantly boosting his international profile and future opportunities in global tournaments.
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Following his victory, Zarif revealed that players from Japan and several other countries had already approached him to form doubles partnerships. 'This ITF tournament is a big platform. Although I had a ranking before, I did not have any points. Earning these points is a huge achievement for me and opens doors to more tournaments,' Zarif told Prothom Alo.
With his sights set on further success, Zarif now aims to win gold for Bangladesh at the upcoming South Asian Games in Pakistan this January. Meanwhile, another ITF Junior tournament has begun at the Ramna Tennis Complex in Dhaka, where Zarif hopes to continue his winning streak. His ultimate dream: to play in a Grand Slam.
Zarif, who earlier this year won both the National Junior Championship and National Championship titles, has become a symbol of hope for Bangladeshi tennis.
'This is a huge inspiration for our tennis community,' said Ishtiaque Ahmed, General Secretary of the Bangladesh Tennis Federation. 'We believe Zarif will bring more glory to the country.'
Trained at the Hobson Performance Academy in Florida, USA, under renowned coach David Ashley Hobson, Zarif has already won several junior titles in the USA in both under-16 and under-18 categories. Originally from Jashore, Zarif is quickly emerging as the face of Bangladeshi tennis on the international stage.
