ISLAMABAD: Top-ranked Aqeel Khan defeated Yousuf Khalil in the men’s singles semi-finals of the Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Tennis Championship here at the Islamabad Tennis Complex on Thursday.

Veteran Aqeel faced tough time in opening game as Yousuf stunned him with aggressive game as first set was decided on tie break 7-6(2). In the next set, however, Aqeel got his rhythm and comfortably overpowered his opponent 6-3 to reach the semi-final.

Meanwhile, Muzammil Murtaza, Mohammad Abid and Mohammad Shoaib also qualified for the men’s singles semi-finals after easily winning their respective quarter-finals.

Muzammil outclassed Heera Ashiq 6-3, 6-3; Mohammad Abid defeated Shahzad Khan 4-6 , 6-1 , 6-1. Davis Cupper Shahzad played brilliantly in the first set but could not maintain his form in the next two sets.

Shoaib shocked experienced Ahmed Chaudhry with a 6-4, 6-4 win.

Meanwhile, Shoaib registered victory also in the U-18 semi-final against Sami Zeb Khan. In the decider, he faces Ahmed Kamil who overpowered Aqib Hayat 7-5, 7-5 in their last-four clash.

In the ladies singles quarter-finals, Ushna Sohail did not allow Azeena Alam to settle down as the former recorded a facile 6-0, 6-1 victory. Esha Jawad, Sarah Mehboob and Mehwish Chisti also made the semi-finals after winning their respective last-eight matches.

Results:

Men’s singles (quarter-finals): Muzammil Murtaza bt Heera Ashiq 6-3 , 6-3; Mohammad Abid bt Shahzad Khan 4-6 , 6-1 , 6-1; Aqeel Khan bt Yousuf Khalil 7-6(2) , 6-3; Mohammad Shoaib bt Ahmed Chaudhry 6-4 , 6-4

Ladies’ singles (quarter-finals): Ushna Suhail bt Azeena Aleem 6-0, 6-1; Esha Jawad bt Hania Navid 2-6 , 6-1, 6-3; Sarah Mehboob bt Sheeza Sajid 6-1, 6-0 ; Mahvish Chishtie bt Farah Shah Khan 6-0, 6-0

Men’s doubles (semi-finals): Aqeel Khan/Shahzad Khan bt Muzammil Murtaza/Mudassir Murtaza 6-, 6-4; Mohammad Abid/Waqas Malak bt Mohammad Shoaib/Barkatullah 6-3, 7-6(8)

U-18 boys (semi-finals): Mohammad Shoaib bt Sami Zeb Khan 6-1, 6-3; Ahmed Kamil bt Aqib Hayat 7-5 , 7-5

U-14 boys (semi-finals): Haider Ali Rizwan bt Bilal Asim 4-1, 4-1; Hamid Israr bt Ahmed Nael 4-0, 4-0

U-14 girls (quarter-finals): Sheeza Sajid bt Sara Khan 4-1, 4-2; Zainab Ali Raja bt Fatima Ali Raja 4-1, 4-0; Soha Ali bt Zara Khan 5-3, 4-2; Amna Ali bt Natalia Zaman 4-2, 4-0

U-12 boys/girls (quarter-finals): Hamza Rizwan bt Zohaib Afzal 5-4(3), 4-1; Amir Mazari bt Samer Zaman 4-1, 4-0; Hamza Roman bt Ali Zain 4-1, 4-2; Haniya Minhas bt Amna Ali Qayum 4-2, 4-0

U-10 boys/girls (quarter-finals): Mohammad Shayan Afridi bt Haris Bajwa 2-4, 4-0, 4-0; Mohammad Hassan Usmani bt Abdur Rehman 4-1, 4-0; Zohaib Afzal bt Eesa Fahad 4-0, 4-1; Ismail Aftab bt Mohammad Farooqi 4-1, 4-0

Seniors 45-plus doubles (semi-finals): Rashid Ali/Col. Faisal bt Irfanullah/Israr Gul 6-4; Mehmood Khan/Azeem Khan bt Ali Qayyum/Sohail Kiyani 6-1, 6-3.

Published in Dawn, December 18th, 2020