A young athlete from Turkmenistan, Aylin Nuriyeva, achieved a stunning victory at the Bukhara Region Open International Tournament for children under 9 (Orange Ball), held in Uzbekistan, as reported by the turkmenistan.gov.tm.
The competition, held under the ITF Tennis 10s program in the Orange Ball category, brought together 20 of the strongest young players from Tashkent, Andijan, Nukus, Bukhara, and Turkmenistan. The format, where boys and girls competed in a single draw, added intrigue to the prestigious tournament.
The most dramatic climax of the entire tournament came in the semifinal match, in which the Mary tennis school alumnus faced a strong opponent from Tashkent. After trailing 5-7 in the first set, Aylin snatched a 7-5 victory in the second set. In the decisive third set, the Turkmen athlete found herself on the brink of defeat, trailing 0-5, but showed incredible willpower and staged a stunning comeback. Winning six games in a row, she forced a tiebreak and won the match 9-7.
Riding a wave of emotional elation, Ailin Nuriyeva confidently played the final match against the representative of Uzbekistan, winning a convincing 7:3, 7:3 victory and winning the gold medal.
A fourth-grader at Secondary School No. 25 in Mary trains under the experienced guidance of Andrey Dovmatov. The nine-year-old’s first international title was not only a significant personal milestone in her career but also a clear confirmation of the high potential and successful development of youth tennis in Turkmenistan.
