Kareem Allaf will be looking to carry the momentum forward from his final showing in Bahrain into the Junior ITF tournament in Kuwait this week, where he has reached the quarter-finals.

The 16-year-old Syrian lost a close three-setter to American Ammar Alhogbani in the title match in Bahrain after squandering a 7-6, 3-0 lead.

His coach, Walid Jallali, who formerly worked with Arab No1 Malek Jaziri, believes Allaf is ready to take home some titles.

Allaf, currently ranked 338 in the world junior rankings, is the top seed in Kuwait this week and will be competing in the Dubai Junior ITF, which starts on October 27.

“He has never won a junior title before but he will very soon,” said Jallali, owner of NSS Tennis Academy.
“He needs more coaching at tournaments because unfortunately, without sponsors, he is travelling most of the time by himself.
“His short-term goals are to enter the top-100 in the junior rankings, then try and win a junior Grand Slam, and ultimately, become an ATP top-100 player.”
Also in action in Kuwait are Egypt’s Nancy Fawzy and India’s Sanjana Sudhir, who both train at PSS Academy in Abu Dhabi. 
Sudhir, who made the semi-finals in Bahrain last week, is seeded No2 in the draw.