Alkass English
The Qatar national tennis team secured promotion to the Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Group IV after edging Kyrgyzstan 2-1 on Saturday in the Group IV promotion semifinal in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
The victory came after Mubarak Shanan rallied from a set down to defeat Kirill Kistanov 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 in the opening singles match.
Mousa Shanan then fell to Mirgiiaz Mirdzhaliev 6-3, 6-2 before the Qatari duo of Mubarak and Mousa Shanan sealed the decisive doubles rubber with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory over Kirill Kistanov and Mirgiiaz Mirdzhaliev.
Khalid Al Khulaifi, a board member of the Qatar Tennis, Squash, Padel and Badminton Federation, said he was delighted with the achievement, noting that the team delivered outstanding performances throughout the tournament and proved to be worthy representatives of Qatar.
He said the players consistently produced high-level performances throughout the competition and served as excellent ambassadors for the country, adding that he was especially pleased with the milestone.
Al Khulaifi added that the promotion was the result of the players' sustained efforts, combined with the dedication of the coaching and administrative staff. He said the achievement would serve as motivation for the federation to continue investing its resources in developing the national teams and supporting its players, enabling them to achieve further success and raise the standard of Qatari tennis.
Qatar reached the Group IV promotion semifinals after finishing as runners-up in its pool with one win and one loss. The team opened its campaign with a 2-1 defeat to Sri Lanka before bouncing back with a 2-1 victory over the Northern Mariana Islands.
The team prepared for the tournament with a two-week training camp in Thailand as part of its build-up to the competition. Qatar's squad comprised brothers Mousa and Mubarak Shanan, along with Jabor Al Mutawa.