DUBAI // The UAE are looking forward to a more concerted bid for a place in the Davis Cup’s Group II next year after failing to take their chances at home this week.
The UAE blanked neighbours Oman 3-0 in their first tie of the relegation play-offs on Saturday night to keep their place in Group III of the Davis Cup Asia/Oceania region, but the hosts had the opportunity to make it to the promotion play-offs after a winning start to their group campaign.
They beat Pacific Oceania 2-1 in their opening Pool B tie and were just two games away from booking their place in the promotion play-offs as Omar Al Awadhy led Cambodia’s Kenny Bun 6-4, 4-2 after Hamad Al Janahi had won the opening singles.
Al Awadhy then picked up a side strain and, severely hampered by the injury, went on to lose the match.
Cambodia then took the doubles to dash UAE’s hopes.
The UAE also had their chances in their final group game against Vietnam but lost 3-0.
Al Awadhy regretted not being able to help his team’s cause, though he continued to play with the injury and beat Oman’s Khalid Al Nabhani 6-3, 6-1 in Saturday’s second singles after Al Janahi had defeated Mohammed Al Nabhani 7-6, 4-6, 6-2 in the opening match.
“I feel disappointed that I have not been able to produce my best tennis and help my country,” Al Awadhy said. “I have been playing at less than 70 per cent because of the injury.
“But still, there are a lot of positives we can take from here. These matches have shown that there is not a big difference between us and the Vietnams and Malaysias.
“More importantly, we know what we need to do against these opponents.
“So when the next round is played in April, I believe we will be ready and we will be a much stronger side.”
arizvi@thenational.ae
The Byblos iftar in numbers
29 or 30 days – the number of iftar services held during the holy month
50 staff members required to prepare an iftar
200 to 350 the number of people served iftar nightly
160 litres of the traditional Ramadan drink, jalab, is served in total
500 litres of soup is served during the holy month
200 kilograms of meat is used for various dishes
350 kilograms of onion is used in dishes
5 minutes – the average time that staff have to eat
Infobox
Western Region Asia Cup Qualifier, Al Amerat, Oman
The two finalists advance to the next stage of qualifying, in Malaysia in August
Results
UAE beat Iran by 10 wickets
Kuwait beat Saudi Arabia by eight wickets
Oman beat Bahrain by nine wickets
Qatar beat Maldives by 106 runs
Monday fixtures
UAE v Kuwait, Iran v Saudi Arabia, Oman v Qatar, Maldives v Bahrain
'Downton Abbey: A New Era'
Director: Simon Curtis
Cast: Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern, Maggie Smith, Michelle Dockery, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter and Phyllis Logan
Rating: 4/5
Brighton 1
Gross (50' pen)
Tottenham 1
Kane (48)
2018 ICC World Twenty20 Asian Western Regional Qualifier
Saturday results
Qatar beat Kuwait by 26 runs
Bahrain beat Maldives by six wickets
UAE beat Saudi Arabia by seven wickets
Monday fixtures
Maldives v Qatar
Saudi Arabia v Kuwait
Bahrain v UAE
* The top three teams progress to the Asia Qualifier
RESULTS
Men – semi-finals
57kg – Tak Chuen Suen (MAC) beat Phuong Xuan Nguyen (VIE) 29-28; Almaz Sarsembekov (KAZ) beat Zakaria Eljamari (UAE) by points 30-27.
67kg – Mohammed Mardi (UAE) beat Huong The Nguyen (VIE) by points 30-27; Narin Wonglakhon (THA) v Mojtaba Taravati Aram (IRI) by points 29-28.
60kg – Yerkanat Ospan (KAZ) beat Amir Hosein Kaviani (IRI) 30-27; Long Doan Nguyen (VIE) beat Ibrahim Bilal (UAE) 29-28
63.5kg – Abil Galiyev (KAZ) beat Truong Cao Phat (VIE) 30-27; Nouredine Samir (UAE) beat Norapat Khundam (THA) RSC round 3.
71kg – Shaker Al Tekreeti (IRQ) beat Fawzi Baltagi (LBN) 30-27; Amine El Moatassime (UAE) beat Man Kongsib (THA) 29-28
81kg – Ilyass Hbibali (UAE) beat Alexandr Tsarikov (KAZ) 29-28; Khaled Tarraf (LBN) beat Mustafa Al Tekreeti (IRQ) 30-27
86kg – Ali Takaloo (IRI) beat Mohammed Al Qahtani (KSA) RSC round 1; Emil Umayev (KAZ) beat Ahmad Bahman (UAE) TKO round
