|
|
| September 9, 2003 | Tuesday | Rajab 11, 1424 |
Contrasting victories for Yasir, Khalid
ISLAMABAD, Sept 8: Yasir Butt and Khalid Atlas scored contrasting semifinal victories on Monday to set up a clash in Tuesday’s under-19 final of the 7th Hashim Khan National Junior Squash Championship.
It was a tough match for Punjab’s Yasir, the junior British Open champion, who had to go the distance in squeezing past a fighting Safeer Khan of PAF 5-9, 10-8, 6-9, 9-5, 9-3
Yasir started off by losing the first game but fought back to even terms, taking the second. But Safeer did not seem to give up and took the third game. However it was not to be his day as Yasir came back strongly to win the next two and the match.
While Yasir had to sweat for victory, Khalid did not have to exert that much in comparison as he outplayed Shah Nawaz in straight games winning 9-3, 9-0, 9-4.
In what were hard-fought under-17 semifinals, Majeed Hussain and Bilal Zaman both made it to the final.
Majeed, of Army found Aqib Hanif a tough customer and had to draw all his reserves in ousting him 6-9, 9-7, 9-5, 2-9, 9-6. Bilal too had to work hard before downing Farzan 9-2, 9-1, 4-9, 9-3.
Amir Atlas and Naveed Alam went through to the final from the under-15 category after beating their rivals from Punjab. Atlas, who represents PAF defeated Adnan Khan 9-4, 7-9, 9-2, 9-2 in a well-contested semifinal while Sindh’s Naveed had it easy against Basit Samad whom he beat 9-3, 9-4, 9-4.
Waqar Mehboob advanced to the under-13 final with a dazzling display that saw him knock out Sindh’s Aqib Ahmed 9-6, 9-1, 9-1. His win earned him a clash in the decider with Danish Atlas who was a 9-0, 8-10, 9-4, 9-7 victor against Punjab’s Sheikh Saqib.
On the girls side Muqaddas Ashraf entered the under-19 final with a 9-2, 4-9, 9-7, 9-0 win over Sara Awan while Misbah Rani brushed aside Shafaq Naeem 9-4, 9-3, 9-0.
In the under-17 competition, Maria Gul will take on Gul Zaman in Tuesday’s finals.
Maria scored a straightforward 9-0, 9-1, 9-3 victory over Zeba Pervaiz and Gul crushed Mehwish 9-5, 9-0, 9-1.
Zoya Khalid edged past Amina Mehboob 9-7, 9-0 1-9, 9-3 to enter the under-15 final where she will meet Sara Sharief, who defeated Maria Yaqoob 9-5, 9-3, 9-3.
Roshna Mehboob and Ana Batool were the successful semifinalists in the under-13 category. Roshna beat Riffat Khan 9-1, 9-2, 9-6 while Ana was stretched to five games by Samar Anjum before advancing 8-10, 9-6, 4-9, 9-7, 9-0.
Results (semfinals, boys):
UNDER-19s: Yasir Butt (Pb) bt Safeer Khan (PAF) 5-9, 10-8, 6-9, 9-5, 9-3, Khalid Atlas bt Shah Nawaz 9-3, 9-0, 9-4.
UNDER-17s: Majeed Hussain (Army) bt Aqib Hanif (Pb) 6-9, 9-7, 9- 5, 2-9, 9-6, Bilal Zaman (PAF) bt Farzan Rashid (Pb) 9-2, 9-1, 4- 9, 9-3
UNDER-15s: Aamir Atlas (PAF) bt Adnan Khan (Pb) 9-4, 7-9, 9-2, 9- 2, Naveed Alam (Sindh) bt Basit Samad (Pb) 9-3, 9-4, 9-4
UNDER-13s: Waqar Mehboob (PAF) bt Aaqib Ahmed (Sindh) 9-6, 9-1, 9-1, Danish Atlas (PAF) bt Sheikh Saqib (Pb) 9-0, 8-10, 9-4, 9-7.
UNDER-19s (semfinals, girls): Muqaddas Ashraf (Pb) bt Sara Awan (Pb) 9-2, 4-9, 9-7, 9-0, Misbah Rani (Pb) bt Shafaq Naeem (Pb) 9- 4, 9-3, 9-0.
UNDER-17s: Maria Gul (PAF) bt Zeba Pervaiz (Pb) 9-0, 9-1, 9-3, Gul Zaman (Pb) bt Mehwish (Pb) 9-5, 9-0, 9-1
UNDER-15s: Zoya Khalid (Pb) bt Amina Mehboob (Pb) 9-7, 9-0, 1-9, 9-3, Sara Sharief (Pb) bt Maria Yaqoob (Pb) 9-5, 9-3, 9-3.
UNDER-13s: Roshna Mehboob (Pb) bt Riffat Khan (Pb) 9-1, 9-2, 9-6, Ana Batool (Pb) bt Samar Anjum (Pb) 8-10, 9-6, 4-9, 9-7, 9-0.
|
|
