The road to Singapore begins in Kathmandu as the ITF Asia 12&U Team Competition – Regional Qualifying Event of South Asia gets underway in Nepal this week. The South Asian regional competition brings together some of the brightest young players in the region, all hoping to keep their journey alive toward the ATF 12&U Team Competition Finals in Singapore later this year.
This South Asia event is one of the five regional qualifying stops on the 2026 calendar. Along with West Asia, South East Asia, Central Asia and East Asia, it forms an important part of the pathway that eventually leads to the continental finals. The ATF 12&U Team Competition Finals are scheduled to be held in Singapore from 15 to 20 September, where the top teams from across the regions will come together. This year, however, the regional calendar has already seen one change, with the West Asia qualifying event in Bahrain being cancelled due to the ongoing tension in the Gulf region.
In the boys’ event, six nations are in the line. India, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Pakistan, Nepal and Maldives. India come in as the top seeds, with Pakistan seeded second. In the girls’ event, five teams will compete — India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan and Maldives — with India seeded first and Sri Lanka second.
As always in this age group, the numbers only tell part of the story. The 12 and under level is often where team spirit, discipline and handling pressure can matter just as much as reputation. These are young players representing their countries, many of them getting one of their first real experiences of international team tennis, and that is what makes events like this special.
There is extra importance around this week because the South Asia competition is not only about winning ties in Kathmandu, it is also about taking the next step on the Asian pathway. In recent years, South Asia has produced strong teams at this level, and with the Finals in Singapore coming later in the season, every rubber this week will matter.
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