The U16 tennis squad from Turkmenistan has set off for Kazakhstan to vie for a spot in the Junior Davis Cup 2026 final qualifications. The event is scheduled to take place in Shymkent from May 18 to May 23, featuring 16 of the premier junior teams from Asia and Oceania.
They earned this opportunity after a remarkable showing in the preliminary qualification tournament held in Colombo, Sri Lanka, earlier this year, marking one of the finest performances by a Turkmen junior tennis team on the international stage.
The Colombo tournament was sanctioned by the International Tennis Federation and the Asian Tennis Federation, with 15 national teams participating. Turkmenistan entered the competition as the sixth seed.
The team comprises Suleyman Hudayberdiyev from Specialized Secondary School No. 86 in Ashgabat, Ali Geldiyev from the Young Olympians Training School, and Kerimgeldi Guldurdyyev from the Joint Turkmen-Russian Secondary Comprehensive School named after A.S. Pushkin. Coaching these young talents is Gurbanberdi Gurbanberdiyev, who is a bronze medalist from the 2024 Turkmenistan Cup.
During the group stage in Colombo, Turkmenistan finished at the top of Group B, winning decisively against Oman 3-0 and achieving comeback victories over Myanmar and Singapore with scores of 2-1 each. They subsequently triumphed 2-0 over the Philippines in the quarterfinals, marking the first time a Turkmen team has made it to the top four in this competition's history.
The upcoming tournament in Shymkent will include formidable opponents from Australia, Japan, China, India, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Thailand, Uzbekistan, Chinese Taipei, Malaysia, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Indonesia, and Hong Kong. Only four teams will progress to the final round of the Junior Davis Cup.
Tournament officials plan to conduct the official draw shortly before the commencement of the event. The young Turkmen athletes are gearing up for one of the biggest tests of their sporting careers as they face off against some of the top junior tennis nations in Asia.
Established in 1985 as the Junior World Cup for under-16 boys, the Junior Davis Cup was later renamed in 2002. It remains one of the most prestigious junior tournaments globally, serving as a springboard for future tennis stars.
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