National tennis player Mohd Aiman
Abdullah (Pic) will start his Brunei
Darussalam Tennis Association
Open Mens Doubles title defence
tomorrow as he teams up with
Asher Jeremiah Khan to take on
Md Yusree Hj Md Yusaine and
Pg Hj Anuar Pg Hj Ahmad. Picture:
BT file

Defending champion Mohd Aiman Abdullah kicks off his Brunei Darussalam Tennis Association (BDTA) Open Mens Doubles title defence tomorrow when he partners Asher Jeremiah Khan in a first-round duel against Md Yusree Hj Md Yusaine and Pg Hj Anuar Pg Hj Ahmad.

Combining with Munez Rubillar Ruel to beat Mathew Bukit and Mohamed Fahamin Feisal 6-2, 6-0 to clinch the 1st leg on March 19, Aiman will enter the 2nd leg — this time with Khan — as firm favourites.

The national tennis player also won the last tournament BDTA organised, the Open Singles 1st leg on May 6, when his Malaysia Games (Sukma) coach Abd Rasheed Abdullah was forced to retire in the second set when he was trailing 3-1. Aiman won the first set 6-2.

Aiman and Khan's match against Md Yusree and Pg Hj Anuar is set for 7pm at the National Tennis Centre of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex in Berakas.

The top three of the four seeded teams all have byes into the second-round, but Aiman and Khan are not one of them.

This will be the first BDTA doubles match for Kuala Belait-native Khan, and the pair do not have enough combined national doubles points to earn a seed.

The best ranked duo to see action in tomorrow's opener is the fourth seed of Abd Hamid Hj Mohd Taha and Serudin Salleh. They will face the only mixed doubles side in the 13-team tournament, Tia Lih Chwen and Lim Teck.

Tia was the only entry in the Ladies Doubles which had to be cancelled due to a lack of entries, thus gaining a spot in the Men's Doubles.

BDTA secretary-general Hj Zuraimi Hj Abd Sani and Pg Hj Md Redzuan Pg Hj Md Yunus are the top-ranked team in the competition.

Abd Hamizan Hj Abd Hamid and Chua Peng Wei enter the tournament as No.2 while Abd Rasheed and Izannie Abu Bakar head into the competition as No.3.

All four second round matches when the top three seeds will take to the court will start at 7pm on Tuesday. The public is welcome to watch.

Courtesy from Brunei Times