Farhan, Tayyab set up int’l squash title clash

Abdul Mohi Shah

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan pair of Farhan Mehboob and Tayyab Aslam took out Egyptian top seeds to make the Serena Hotels-Huawei Pakistan International Squash men’s event an all local affair following exciting semifinals at the Mushaf Ali Mir Complex Wednesday.

For the first time in almost three years, any international event worth $ 20 thousand or above at home will see both Pakistani players in the final.

In what turned out to be intriguing semis, Farhan Mehboob came back from two games down to upset top seed and world No 42 Egyptian Youssef Ibrahim 8-11, 14-16, 11-2, 11-5, 12-10 following 50 minutes of intense battle. Tayyab Aslam made it an all local affair as he defeated second seed Mohamed ElSherbini (Egypt) with a game score of 11-6, 9-11, 11-9, 11-9. The match lasted 46 minutes. The first semifinal between Farhan and Youssef was going all the more easy for the Egyptian who started dictating terms right from the outset. Farhan tried to be too aggressive and in process hit 14 tins in the first two games. After losing the first game, Farhan was seen leading 7-4 in the second however couple of tins and reckless shots saw him conceding the second also from relatively strong position. The real action started from the third game when Farhan Mehboob finally attacked right angles with boost and trickle boost. Pakistani was seen in totall ruthless mood against Youssef in the third as he raced to 9-2 lead.

“I have to admit that to start with I was struggling to put the ball on target or where I wanted to. However, once I took control in the third, points started coming thick and fast. I knew well he was a bit suspect at the front court and that was why I tried to hit drops repeatedly. At the outset I was not getting the ball at right direction. Once I settled down, my shots started troubling top seed,” Farhan Mehboob said.

Backed and supported by local crowd, Farah did not let down his supports and kept the pressure on Youssef in the third. “I knew I had chances of upsetting the top seed. What I wanted was to pursue my game plan and I succeeded in that during the last three games.”

Both players put in every effort to wrest the initiative in the fifth which saw Egyptian leading 7-5 at one stage. The change of racket by Youssef never helped his chance in the dying moments of the match and Farhan not only neutralized the lead, he was also seen taking comfortable 10-7 lead. Couple of misses drew the Egyptian closer but it was too little too late as Farhan took the fifth and a place in the final. In the second semis, Tayyab clearly looked a superior opponent barring on a few occasions when he was seen making half hearted attempts to pick points. His win in the first came a bit easier. However, he had to struggle hard to win the third and fourth-though the ultimate winner was never in doubt. In $ 12000 women event semis, world No 101 Hana Moataz (Egypt) upset her country woman and world No 56 Farida Mohamed (Egypt) with a game score of 11-7, 11-2, 9-11, 3-11, 14-12. The match lasted for 36 minutes.

She will now meet Sabrina Sobhy (USA) in the final. Sabrina defeated Meena Hamed (Egypt) with a game score of 11-6, 11-9, 11-6. The match lasted for 23 minutes. Women final will be played at 3pm Thursday with men final set to be held on 4pm same day.