- 18:35
In Cairo, Lebanon’s tennis team struck hard from the very start of their World Group II tie. Thanks to victories from Benjamin Hassan and Hadi Habib, Lebanon leads 2-0 against Barbados and now needs just one more win to secure a spot in the World Group I play-offs.
On the clay courts of the Palm Hills Sports Club, Lebanon got off to the perfect start in its duel with Barbados.
Hassan Fights Hard, Habib Dominates
In the opening singles match, Benjamin Hassan (world No. 196) had to dig deep to overcome Barbados’ Darian King (No. 2114). In a tense, topsy-turvy contest, the Lebanese player eventually prevailed in three sets, sealed by two tie breaks (7-6, 1-6, 7-6).
Right after, Hadi Habib (No. 171) cruised through the second singles. Facing Kaipo Marshall, an unranked but tenacious opponent, the Lebanese player displayed solid tennis to win in straight sets (6-1, 6-3), giving Lebanon a valuable advantage.
Reaction from Alain Sayegh
Present in Cairo to support the team, Lebanese Tennis Federation president Alain Sayegh expressed his satisfaction, “I would like to congratulate Benjamin Hassan and Hadi Habib for their victories on Friday. We now need only one more win to secure qualification. I also extend my congratulations to national coach Fadi Youssef and the entire delegation for this perfect opening day.”
A Decisive Saturday
Saturday’s program will begin at 10:30 AM (Beirut time) with the doubles, followed, if necessary, by two more singles matches. According to the rules, three wins out of five are required to clinch the tie. In other words, Lebanon is now just one victory away from reaching the World Group I play-offs — the gateway to tennis’ elite circle.
The Teams
Lebanon is ranked 52nd in the world and its squad consists of Hadi Habib, Benjamin Hassan, Fadi Bidan (No. 1202) and Hassan Ibrahim (unranked), led by captain and former international Fadi Youssef.
Barbados, ranked 55th, is a Caribbean island of 431 km² and is represented by a team captained by Damien Applewhaite. Alongside King and Marshall, the squad includes Stephen Slocombe (No. 1801), Xavier Lawrence and Haydn Lewis (both unranked).
A Step Towards the Elite
While the rankings make Lebanon a slight favorite, Barbados is expected to fight hard. But with a 2-0 lead after day one, the Lebanese have never been closer to returning to the sport’s upper echelon. Lebanon will have a match point on Saturday morning to continue writing its tennis story.
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