Summary Samir will have to beat USA's Mitchell Thomas Mcdaniels in first round to earn an ATP ranking point
LAHORE (Web Desk) - Samir Iftikhar qualified for the main draw of the $15,000 ITF Future event in Sharm El Sheikh by beating Arturs Lazdins of Latvia, reported Dunya News.
Samir dropped the first set 5-7 against the 19-year-old Latvian, who is ranked 1277 in the world. 24-year-old Samir fought back and took the second set 7-5 to level the match.
Lazdins could not continue after losing the first game of the deciding set and retired at 0-1. Samir got an easy draw as he will face another qualifier, World No.996 Mitchell Thomas Mcdaniels of USA in the first round.
Samir is looking to become first Pakistani to earn an ATP Ranking point in singles this year. Abid Ali Akbar is the only Pakistani with any ranking point in singles at the moment, who won two matches in Turkey in July last year. Abid has 2 points and is ranked 1492 in the world.
