(MENAFN- Muscat Daily) It was a bittersweet day for Oman's tennis teams at the inaugural Islamic Solidarity Sport Federation (ISSF) International Tennis Championship in Palembang Indonesia on Tuesday.
Playing against the hosts for the women's team title after being assured of a silver medal on Monday Oman lost 0-2 with its star player Fatma al Nabhani retiring hurt during her singles match. The sultanate side however picked up the silver medal in the four-team event.
Indonesia got off to a winning start when its No 2 player Ayu Fani Damayanti whitewashed Samar al Bakry 6-0 6-0. Oman's hopes rested on Fatma to make a comeback and then take the fight into the deciding doubles.
However up against fellow ITF professional Lavinia Tananta Fatma floundered to lose the first set 2-6. Up 2-1 in the second set Fatma complained of acute shoulder pain and retired hurt to hand the victory to Indonesia.
Speaking to Muscat Daily Fatma said from Palembang 'I had a little pain at the start of the match. But I thought I could manage it; we were playing for gold after all. However the pain shot up during the match forcing me to quit the match.'
She added 'I have played Lavinia before and I have beaten her (head-to-head was 2-2 before the match). I could have won but for the acute pain.'
Fatma is also scheduled to play in singles and doubles event [with Sarah al Balushi] beginning on Wednesday.
Meanwhile the men's singles competition got underway and the two Omani players in action on Tuesday - Saleh al Zadjali and Fawaz al Mandhary - tasted defeat. Amer Naow of Syria beat Zadjali 6-1 6-1 while Maldives' Fazeel Abdulla Faaih defeated Mandhary 6-3 6-1.
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