ISLAMABAD: Nasir Iqbal earned a hard fought five-game win against Malaysian Hafiz zhafri as the Chief of the Air Staff-Serena Hotels International Squash Championship (men and women) got under way at the Mushaf Ali Mir Complex Friday.
Nasir rallied back from 1-2 down to beat Hafiz Zhafri (MAS) 5-11, 11-3, 3-11, 11-8, 11-8 in a match that lasted for 51 minutes.
Nasir was slow to start with. As the game opened up, Nasir started making moves. He was seen at his best in the last two games where he hit many winners.
Youngster Abdullah Nawaz (PAK) also played an entertaining game to beat his much superior opponent Yusuf Elsherif (EGY) 11-7, 6-11, 11-9, 12-10 in a match that lasted for 49 minutes.
Results:
Men event: Top eight players Ibrahim Elkabbani (EGY), Ong Sai Hung (MAS), Mohamed Nasser (EGY), Noor Zaman (PAK), Seif El-Shenawy (EGY), Wee Ming Hock (MAS), Khaled Labib (EGY), Muhammad Asim Khan (PAK) got bye.
First round: Farhan Mehboob (PAK) bt Pablo Quintana Estevez (ESP) 11-4, 11-9, 11-8 (36m), Ziad Ibrahim (EGY) bt Arón Astray (ESP) 11-1, 13-11, 11-6 (23m), Muhammad Abdul Qadir (PAK) bt Youssef Matta (EGY) 7-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-9 (31m) Nasir Iqbal (PAK) bt Hafiz Zhafri (MAS) 5-11, 11-3, 3-11, 11-8, 11-8 (51m), Abdullah Nawaz (PAK) bt Yusuf Elsherif (EGY) 11-7, 6-11, 11-9, 12-10 (49m), Duncan Lee (MAS) bt Farhan Zaman (PAK) 11-7, 9-11, 3-11, 12-10, 11-7 (50m), Amaad Fareed (PAK) bt Israr Ahmed (PAK) 11-8, 11-8, 9-11, 7-11, 11-3 (45m), Yassin Shohdy (EGY) bt Usman Nadeem (PAK) 14-12, 11-4, 11-9 (33m).
Women Event
Top eight players got bye: These are Chan Yiwen (MAS), Nadien Elhammamy (EGY), Anam Mustafa Aziz (PAK), Nour Ramy (EGY), Amina el rihany (EGY), Malak Samir (EGY), Wong Po Yui Kirstie (HKG), and Nour Khafagy (EGY).
Mehwish Ali (PAK) bt Mariam Malik (PAK) 11-5, 9-11, 12-10, 11-5 (38 m), Rushna Mehboob (PAK) bt Sehrish Ali (PAK) 11-4, 11-4, 11-4 (12 m), Sana Bahadar (PAK) bt Umme e Kulsoom (PAK) 11-5, 11-4, 11-9 (13 m), Sadia Gul (PAK) bt Luiza Aftab Qureshi (PAK) 11-9, 11-7, 11-7 (22 m), Sarah Soudan (EGY) bt Mahnoor Ali (PAK) 11-4, 11-4, 11-4 (16m), Komal Khan (PAK) bt Sameera Shahid (PAK) 11/-4, 11-5, 11-3 (10m).