Zarif triumphs in thriller to reach semifinals
Bangladeshi young tennis star Zarif Abrar has continued his dream run at the 35th Bangladesh World Tennis Tour Juniors J-30, Dhaka, securing his place in the semifinals after a thrilling quarter-final victory, defeating India's second-seeded player Shounak Chatterjee 2-1.
The intense battle at the National Tennis Complex in Ramna lasted for nearly three hours, with Zarif emerging victorious.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. The match was fiercely contested from the very first set. The highly-charged opening set saw Shounak edge out Zarif 7-5 to take the lead. However, Zarif made a stunning comeback in the second set, levelling the match with a convincing 6-2 win.
The game then proceeded to the decisive third set, where all the drama unfolded. Zarif initially took a commanding 3-0 lead, seemingly on his way to easily sealing the set before Shounak bounced back to make it 3-5.
From that critical juncture, Zarif staged a magnificent comeback, drawing level at 5-5. He then won two consecutive games to clinch the set 7-5 and secure his spot in the semifinals.
"Today, luck was on my side," Zarif said after the match. "I was not supposed to win this match. At one point, I was trailing 3-5. The match turned due to just one gap. The momentum just shifted."
Feeling slightly "off" his game against Shounak, he expressed relief at the victory.
"I was a bit off today. Alhamdulillah, I managed to cover it. The Indian opponent had a lot of power. It was difficult for me to counter that."
Zarif is highly confident about performing well in the semifinals and ultimately becoming the champion.
"Inshallah, I will play a good match in the semifinals. I am very confident that I can be the champion of the tournament."
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