ISLAMABAD: Both top seeded women players – Noorena Shams and Anum Mustafa — had to face big upsets at the hands of junior players on the first day of the main round of the Pakistan Squash Circuit-I here at the Mushaf Squash Complex on Thursday.

While top players in men events — including two qualifiers Danish Atlas Khan and Zahir Shah after winning their matches moved into the quarter-finals of the Players Squash Association recognised international event, which carries a USD10000 prize money for men while USD5000 for women.

In the women’s event, top seed Noorena was eliminated by Noor-ul-Ain Ejaz 11-3, 11-3, 11-0, with the match lasting for just seven minutes.

In another encounter rookie Amna Fayaz stunned second seed Anum Mustafa 11-4, 13-11, 11-7, 7-11, in five well-fought games.

Riffat Khan, Faiza Zafar and Madina Zafar comfortably won their matches too. These three players will also represent the country in upcoming Asian Games.

Meanwhile, in the men’s event, top ranked players Farhan Zaman, Farhan Mehboob, Tayyab Aslam and Muhammad Asim also comfortably won their matches. Zaman eased past wild card entrant Abbas Zeb in a four-game match, which lasted for 30 minutes.

After losing the first game, Zaman comfortably won the next three games and match 8-11, 11-3, 11-5, 11-3 while former top international ranked player Mehboob was in fine touch against Syed Ali Bukhari, wining the match in straight games 11-8, 11-6, 11-9.

Tayyab Aslam defeated Mansoor Zaman 11-5, 11-5, 10-12, 11-5.

Unseeded Danish Atlas, the former national champion, who had made into the main round after winning the qualifying round took 28 minutes to outclass Zeeshan Khan in straight games 12-10, 11-3, 11-7. While unseeded Zahir Shah beat Umair Zaman 4-11,11-6,11-4,11-8.

Results

Men’s: Zahir Shah bt Umair Zaman 4-11, 11-6, 11-4, 11-8 34 Min; Danish Atlas Beat Zeeshan Khan 12-10, 11-3, 11-7 28 Min; Farhan Mehboob Beat Syed Ali Bukhari 11-8, 11-6, 11-9 21 Min; Tayyab Aslam Beat Mansoor Zaman 11-5, 11-5, 10-12, 11-5 38 Min; Amaad Fareed Beat Khawaja Adil 11-5, 11-4, 11-7 19 Min; Israr Ahmad Beat Haris Iqbal 11-4, 11-7, 11-4 30 Min; M Asim Khan Beat Shoaib Hassan 11-8, 11-3, 11-6 19 Min.

Women’s: Noor Ul Ain Ejaz Beat Noorena Shams 11-3, 11-3, 11-0 07 Min; Zoya Khalid Beat Zahab Kamal Khan 11-0, 11-8, 11-9 15 Min; Moqaddas Ashraf Beat Rushna Mehboob 11-9, 11-1, 11-5 15 Min; Madina Zafar Beat Nimra Aqeel (Pak) 11-3, 11-3, 10-12, 11-6 20 Min; Faiza Zafar Beat Aimnan Shahbaz 11-9, 11-8, 11-4 14 Min; Riffat Khan Beat Saima Shaukat 11-9, 11-6, 6-11, 11-8 24 Min; Noor Ul Huda Beat Komal Khan 11-13, 9-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-6 31 Min; Amna Fayyaz Beat Anum Mustafa 11-4, 13-11, 11-7, 7-11, 11-5 31 Min.

Published in Dawn, May 11th, 2018