0
KARACHI, March 2: Islamabad’s un-seeded Anoosha Aslam created the biggest upset when she subdued defending champion Seher Khwaja in three sets to reach the women’s singles final of Greener Pakistan National Hard Court tennis on Thursday.
After dropping the one-sided opener 0-6, Anoosha turned the table on her opponent taking the next two sets 6-2, 6-3 in the over two-hour second semifinal.
She will be up against top seed Sarah Mahboob in the title clash as the latter accounted for Sara Mansoor 7-5, 6-1 in the other semifinal.
‘I had severe stomach pain in the opener but after taking pain killer tablets I got some relief and my strategy earned me victory”, she said after her triumph.
Anoosha, 16, captured the girls U-17 crown in the ladies Nationals held at Islamabad in August last. Earlier, she won the U-17 title in Federal Cup.
Top seed Aqeel Khan went to full length in beating his younger brother Yasir Khan 6-7, 6-2, 6-2 qualify for the semifinals of the men’s singles.
Second seed Asim Shafik downed Inam Gul 6-2, 6-2, third seed Nomi Qamar got the better of Adnan Khan 6-0, 6-2 while fourth seed Jalil Khan defeated M. Shafiq 6-4, 7-5. Aqeel is pitted against Jalil Khan while Nomi will take on Asim Shafik in the two encounters on Saturday.
However, Yasir had some consolation when playing his second match he downed Ghulam Abbas 6-1, 6-1 to reach the juniors U-17 semifinal. Joining him were other seeded players Usman Ijaz, S. Abbas Raza and Nasir Mushtaq.
Top seed Zuhair Raza qualified to meet second seed Adil Kohari in the U-13 final.
The former inflicted 6-0, 6-4 defeat on Nameer Shamsi while the latter notched up 6-1, 6-3 win over Ramiz Farishta.
Results
Men’s singles (pre-quarterfinals):
Yasir Khan bt Khalid Ali Nazar 6-2, 6-2
Men’s singles (quarterfinals):
Jalil Khan bt M. Shafiq 6-4, 7-5; Asim Shafik bt Inam Gul 6-2, 6-2; Nomi Qamar bt Adnan Khan 6-0, 6-2; Aqeel Khan bt Yasir Khan 6-7, 6-2, 6-2.
Women’s singles (semifinals):
Sara Mahboob bt Sara Mansoor 7-5, 6-1; Anoosha Aslam bt Seher Khwaja 0-6, 6-2, 6-3.
Juniors U-17 singles (quarterfinals):
Usman Ijaz bt Jahangir Rashid 6-0, 6-0; Nasir Mushtaq bt S. Zuhair Raza 6-2, 6-1; S. Abbas Raza bt Ahsan Bajwa 6-3, 6-1; Yasir Khan bt Ghulam Abbas 6-1, 6-1.
Boys U-13 singles (quarterfinals):
Adil Kohari bt Abdul Rehman 6-4, 7-6 (0); Ramiz Farishta bt Vinod Das 3-6, 6-3, 6-2; Zuhair Raza bt Khwaja Hamza 6-2, 6-0; Nameer Shamsi bt Fahad Hayat 6-1, 6-1.
Boys U-13 singles (semifinals):
Zuhair Raza bt Nameer Shamsi 6-0, 6-4; Adil Kohari bt Ramiz Farishta 6-1, 6-3.
Men’s doubles (second round):
Aqeel Khan-Jalil Khan bt Taimoor Iftikhar-Naveed 6-2, 6-2; Khalid Ali Nazar-Adnan Khan bt Ghulam Abbas-Robin Das 6-2, 6-2.
