The U16 tennis squad from Turkmenistan has set off for Kazakhstan to compete in the final qualification round for the Junior Davis Cup 2026. Scheduled to take place in Shymkent from May 18 to May 23, this tournament gathers 16 of the top junior teams from Asia and Oceania.
The team's remarkable journey to this stage stems from their outstanding performance in the preliminary qualifying event held in Colombo, Sri Lanka, earlier this year—marking a historic achievement for Turkmen junior tennis on the international stage.
This qualifying tournament in Colombo was conducted with oversight from the International Tennis Federation and the Asian Tennis Federation, featuring 15 national teams wherein Turkmenistan entered as the sixth seed.
The squad comprises Suleyman Hudayberdiyev from Ashgabat’s Specialized Secondary School No. 86, Ali Geldiyev from the Young Olympians Training School, and Kerimgeldi Guldurdyyev from the A.S. Pushkin Secondary Comprehensive School. They are guided by coach Gurbanberdi Gurbanberdiyev, who previously earned a bronze medal at the 2024 Turkmenistan Cup.
In the Colombo group stages, Turkmenistan topped Group B with a decisive 3-0 win over Oman and followed it up with two comeback triumphs against Myanmar and Singapore, both ending 2-1. They then claimed victory over the Philippines in the quarterfinals with a score of 2-0, marking the first time their country has reached the tournament's top four.
The final qualification event in Shymkent will see fierce competitors from nations such as Australia, Japan, China, and South Africa, among others. Only the top four teams will advance to the final round of the Junior Davis Cup.
Officials are preparing for the official draw just before the tournament kicks off. The Turkmen athletes are gearing up for one of the significant challenges in their burgeoning careers, as they take on some of the most formidable junior tennis teams in the region.
First launched by the International Tennis Federation in 1985, the Junior Davis Cup—formerly known as the Junior World Cup for players under 16—was renamed in 2002. It continues to be one of the most prestigious tournaments in junior tennis, paving the way for the next generation of professional tennis stars.
