Pokhara Sports/ Keshav Pathak- Korea’s Yul Ho Jung and Nepal’s rising tennis star Shivali Gurung secured double titles at the ITF World Tennis Tour J30 Pokhara Circuit -1, winning both singles and doubles titles in a historic achievement.
Shivali Creates History
Fourteen-year-old Shivali Gurung has created history by becoming the youngest Nepali player to win an ITF J30 title. By claiming both the singles and doubles crowns, she earned a total of 37 ITF points.
Shivali is also set to become the first Nepali player to participate in the Australian Open Elite Trophy 2026, scheduled to take place in Australia next month. At just 13, Shivali marked her ITF J30 debut last year with an impressive runner-up finish.
In the boys’ singles final, Yul Ho Jung defeated Sri Lanka’s Ganuka Fernando in a thrilling match, winning 6–2, 6–7(7). On the girls’ side, Nepal’s Shivali Gurung dominated Taipei’s Ke-Chieh Hsu with a convincing 6–2, 6–2 straight-sets victory to lift the singles crown.
The duo continued their winning momentum in doubles as well. In the boys’ doubles final, the Korean pair of Hyojin Ha and Yul Ho Jung overcame India’s Fazal Ali Meer and Hong Kong’s Selwyn Tsz Yuen Wong 3–6, 6–3, 10–8 to claim the title. In the girls’ doubles final, Shivali Gurung partnered with Ke-Chieh Hsu to defeat India’s Soumya Chatterjee and Ranjana Sagram 6–2, 6–2.
Winners were awarded medals and certificates by Nepal Tennis Association Vice President Binod Kayastha, former Kaski Tennis Association President Lok Bahadur Gurung, advisors Gopi Bhattarai and Surya Bahadur Bhujel, along with Kaski Tennis Association First Vice President Nabin Chalise and Second Vice President Nabin Shrestha.
According to Tournament Director Ajay Bishta, the first circuit concluded on Saturday, and the qualifying rounds for Circuit 2 have already commenced. The main draw matches of the second circuit will begin from Monday.
The two-week ITF World Tennis Tour J30 Circuit 1 and 2, running until December 13, features 80 players from 16 countries. A total of 55 boys and 25 girls are competing in the tournament.
Participating nations include Nepal, India, China, the United States, New Zealand, Taiwan, Bangladesh, Canada, Australia, Korea, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Israel, and Hong Kong.
The tournament features boys’ and girls’ singles and doubles events. In singles, winners receive 30 ITF points, runners-up 18, semifinalists 9, quarterfinalists 5, and Round of 16 players 2 points. In doubles, champions earn 25 points, runners-up 13, semifinalists 6, and quarterfinalists 3 points.
The total cost of organizing the tournament is estimated at NPR 1.787 million. The event is supported by the Gandaki Provincial Sports Council, District Sports Development Committee Kaski, Pokhara Metropolitan City, and the Nepal Tourism Board Gandaki Province, according to Kaski Tennis Association Secretary Bhishma Raj Paudel.
