CAS Int’l Squash: Tayyab keeps Pakistan hopes alive

ISLAMABAD: Tayyab Aslam carries Pakistan hopes in CAS International Squash that now shows a diverse semifinal following action-packed quarterfinals at the Mushaf Ali Mir Complex Wednesday.

One player each from Pakistan, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Egypt would flex muscle Thursday for a place in the final.

Pakistan’s No 1 Tayyab who got better of local lad Asim Khan following five-game thriller now set a date with the top seed Leo Au (Hong Kong) in the semis while the other pre-final would see Egyptian Youseff Soliman playing against Malaysian No 2 seed Nafizwan Adnan.

Tayyab beat Asem 11-3, 10-12, 14-16, 11-5, 11-9 following tough 85 minutes battle. The see saw quarter-finals gave Asem early edge as he won the first two of three games. The third game could have gone either way.

Asim was seen reaching for the ball in a better way and was good enough to keep his opponent at bay for most of time at early stages of the match. His sizzling top of the court shots had no answer.

Tayyab however recovered well to win the fourth game rather easily. At the fag end of the fourth game, Asim almost conceded some points in a effort to give his full in the last. The fifth game turned out to be a real tough one for both. Some top of the court drops backed by near the tin squeeze shots helped Tayyab take slight advantage.

However, Asim never looked far behind and every time seemed plugging the gap well. At the end, lady luck seemed going Tayyab’s way as he just managed to hang on for win.“It was a tough match that could have gone either way. Asim played really well.

He is fighter and had shown signs of that fight in the match,” Tayyab said after the match. The Pakistan No 1 hoped to give his all out against top seed and super fit Leo Au (Hkg) in the first semi-finals. “He is the best and fittest of all. I hope to do well against him.”

Leo gave no clue to Mazen Gamal during his 11-8, 11-7, 11-6 victory in the first quarter-finals. The second semi-finals saw talented Egyptian Youseff Soliman playing against Nafizwan Adnan (Mas).

Both spare little time for their opponents during straight game victory in the quarter-finals. Both took 30 minutes each to make it to the semis.In women open both Pakistan players Faiza Zafar and Madina Zafar lost in straight games against their opponents.

Results: Men: Leo Au (Hkg) bt Mazen Gamal (Egy) 11-8, 11-7, 11-6; Tayyab Aslam (Pak) bt Asim Khan (Pak)11-3, 10-12, 14-16, 11-5, 11-9; Youseff Soliman (Egy) bt Omar Abdel Meguid 12-10, 11-3, 12-10; Nafizwan Adnan (Mas) bt Mostafa Asal (Egy) 11-6, 11-5, 11-4.

Women: Rowan Elarby (Egy) Faiza Zafar (Pak) 11-5, 11-6, 11-5; Farida Momen (Egy) bt Menna Hameed (Egy) 13-11, 4-11, 11-6, 13-11; Tong Tsz-Wing (Hkg) bt Madina Zafar (Pak) 11-8, 11-4, 11-5; Nada Abbas (Egy) bt Tessa ter Sluis (Ned) 11-6, 11-2, 7-11, 11-7.