Day 1 Analysis — FSTA Al Ain U14 Boys (Friday, 19 December 2025)
Date:
19/12/2025Day 1 Analysis — FSTA Al Ain U14 Boys (Friday, 19 December 2025)
Opening day at the FSTA Al Ain U14 Boys event: tournament overview, draw status, and Friday’s provisional order of play in Al Ain.
Tournament Overview
The UAE Tennis Federation opens the FSTA - AL AIN - YOUTH UNDER 14 BOYS tournament today in Al Ain, ushering in a week of hard-court junior competition. With a compact 16-player main draw and 8-player qualifying, the event is designed to deliver high-quality match play and quick turnarounds as the holiday period approaches.
| City | Al Ain |
| Dates | 19–28 December 2025 |
| Surface | Hard |
| Main Draw Size | 16 |
| Qualifying Draw Size | 8 |
| Entry Fee | Free |
| Age Group | U14 Boys |
| Road to Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open | No |
| Elite Circuit | No |
Official tournament page: uaetennis.ae — FSTA Al Ain U14 Boys
Field Snapshot and Early Contenders
The entry list blends established performers and fast-improving talents. Based on the published entry rankings, several names stand out on Day 1:
- Abdulbaasit SALAMI (IND club, Rank 7) — a top contender with an assertive baseline game.
- Karthik NAIR (EMI, Rank 29) — compact technique and efficient point construction.
- Takeru KAMIKI (PBI, Rank 30) — balanced offense/defense, strong on hard courts.
- Yash THOMAS (GLO, Rank 51) and Kushal MANKAD (FUT, Rank 74) — dangerous floaters in the middle of the draw.
- Aarav JAIN (FUT, Rank 100) and Vihaan SAWANT (IND, Rank 81) — capable of deep runs with clean first-strike tennis.
- Akilaesh KARTHIKEYAN ANDAL (ATL, Rank 109) and Pranav HARLALKA (ATL, Rank 48) — intriguing R16 matchup with contrasting styles.
Draw Status (as of Friday morning)
Round-of-16 placement features several byes for higher-ranked entrants, condensing Day 1’s on-court workload. The current bracket snapshot:
| Round of 16 | Status |
|---|---|
| Abdulbaasit SALAMI (IND) | Advanced by bye to QF |
| Kushal MANKAD (FUT) | Advanced by bye to QF |
| Takeru KAMIKI (PBI) | Advanced by bye to QF |
| Vihaan SAWANT (IND) | Advanced by bye to QF |
| Aarav JAIN (FUT) | Advanced by bye to QF |
| Yash THOMAS (GLO) | Advanced by bye to QF |
| Akilaesh KARTHIKEYAN ANDAL (ATL) vs Pranav HARLALKA (ATL) | To be played (R16) |
| Karthik NAIR (EMI) | Advanced by bye to QF |
Quarterfinal outlook:
- Abdulbaasit SALAMI vs Kushal MANKAD — explosive forehands on both ends; serve percentage could decide.
- Takeru KAMIKI vs Vihaan SAWANT — Walkover recorded in favor of Takeru KAMIKI (per published draw update), sending KAMIKI to the semifinals.
- Aarav JAIN vs Yash THOMAS — contrasting tempos; backhand exchanges will be telling.
- Winner of Akilaesh KARTHIKEYAN ANDAL / Pranav HARLALKA vs Karthik NAIR — NAIR awaits a fresh opponent.
Today’s Order of Play — Friday, 19 December 2025
The official court assignments and start times will be confirmed by the referee on site. The following listing reflects today’s expected matches based on the published draw and current statuses.
| Time | Court | Round | Match | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TBD | TBD | R16 | Akilaesh KARTHIKEYAN ANDAL (ATL) vs Pranav HARLALKA (ATL) | Subject to referee confirmation |
| TBD | TBD | QF | Abdulbaasit SALAMI (IND) vs Kushal MANKAD (FUT) | May be scheduled if time allows |
| TBD | TBD | QF | Aarav JAIN (FUT) vs Yash THOMAS (GLO) | May be scheduled if time allows |
| — | — | QF | Takeru KAMIKI (PBI) vs Vihaan SAWANT (IND) | Walkover to KAMIKI (already recorded) |
| TBD | TBD | QF | Winner of KARTHIKEYAN ANDAL / HARLALKA vs Karthik NAIR (EMI) | Pending R16 result |
Conditions and Keys to the Day
- Hard-court tempo: First-strike patterns and depth off the return will be decisive.
- Energy management: With multiple rounds potentially starting today, players must manage recovery between matches.
- Serve discipline: High first-serve percentage will be critical, especially in the QFs where margins tighten.
Follow Live
For court assignments, live updates, and completed scores, visit the official tournament page. Our on-site team will refresh the order of play once confirmed by the referee.