GERMAN-BORN Tobias Giegle was crowned men’s singles champion in the recent Selangor Closed Tennis Championships at the MBPJ Sports Complex in Kelana Jaya.
Giegle, a 19-year-old former international school student, defeated former national player and second seed B. Kanagaraj 1-6, 6-3, 6-0 in an exciting final.
The third seed, who received a first round bye, breezed past Joshua Tan and Hasmayadi Abdul with an identical 6-0, 6-0 score line in the second round and quarter-finals before edging Indonesia-born top seed Marco Setipu 6-7 (4-7), 6-1, 6-1 to earn a crack at the title.
Giegle entered the local scene three years ago and has played in the national and ITF Junior circuits.
Selangor Tennis Association (STA) secretary Tengku Mohamed Tengku Harun said Giegle played impressive tennis to win the tournament.
“Giegle has won a senior title as a junior. This boy will definitely go far as he defeated experienced players to lift his first Selangor Closed title,” said Tengku Mohamed.
However, Tengku Mohamed said, Giegle will not be considered to represent the state in official games as he is an expatriate.
“I hope it will not deter him from continuing his tennis as he can still make a name in the local circuit and also in tournaments abroad,” he added.
In the women’s singles, Alyssa Boey, the younger sister of national champion Adele, thrashed Putri Shafiqah 6-0, 6-0 in the final.
RESULTS
Men’s singles: Tobias Giegle bt B. Kanagaraj 1-6, 6-3, 6-0;
Doubles: Marco Setipu-Lee Vun Tsir bt B. Kanagaraj-Akhbar Khan 6-7 (7-9), 6-1, 10-8.
Masters singles: Megat Khairul bt Ahmad Fariz 6-2, 7-6 (7-4);
Doubles: Megat Khairul-Zakaria Othman bt Ahmad Shahrom-Aslam Haneef w/o.
Veterans singles: Ahmad Shahrom bt Hussin Ali 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-2).
Women’s singles: Alyssa Boey bt Putri Shafiqah 6-0, 6-0.
Ends
